Another Way To Die
by Camster3100
Summary: Ichigo has protected his friends from threats of the highest, world-altering magnitude. However, he has always had a reason to fight, to keep moving, and that was to protect. However, when he can't fulfill his role, his entire world is flipped. Now he's forcibly traveling the world, trying to control the demon within, and trying to find a new purpose. Ichigo x Harem Lemons!
1. Chapter 1

Emptiness, nothingness, barren, and void.

Each of those words was synonyms for another.

Hollow was that word. The man looked down to his swords and felt that they were just that.

 _Hollow._ Filled with nothing but his own power, the former tenants that used to walk his soul were just that. _Gone._

Gone with his taint. The taint that poured all over his soul until his demons and the new ones that delved into the deepest pits and reaches of the confines that made his soul exist, simply ceased on trying to take over.

That was because they _had already succeeded._

His former demon, his hollow, his former bane of his existence, the former being that made him question his very sanity at some points, _Zangetsu_ , was the only being that held his swords, his _life,_ to himself when the new taint took over and stayed for good this time.

Where had Zangetsu gone? Ichigo had wondered this question. The pale version of himself was still there, somewhere asleep in his soul once more.

 _Somewhere._ That was the only reason he still had his swords, right? _Right?_

The taint that took over was deceptively beautiful in appearance, its golden outer shell covered his body in such an ethereal glow that it almost, _almost,_ hid its true meaning, its actual meaning being a manifestation of Hell, Tartarus, the Underworld, the abyss, Gehenna, _inferno._

The man looked from his swords to his pale skin, the tufts of red fur on his ankles, collar bones, and wrists blowing softly as the fires around him churned. He could feel the mask on his face, _the horned abomination that had decimated Ulquiorra to an inch within his hollow life,_ though that was now just a fleeting memory from so long ago.

 _But it's only been a few years,_ the boy reminded himself.

But it felt like _centuries._

How long had he been down here though? How long had he seen the fire-lit pits of the home of the sinners?

 _It's only been a few weeks, though,_ the man thought.

His final battle with Yhwach had torn through the dimensions of the worlds. It stretched from the Soul King palace to Soul Society, to Hueco Mundo and then to the world of the living. No one could explain why several dozen mile-wide craters were present on several continents or why unexplained tidal waves rocked the island countries or the coasts of larger ones. The final destination was Hell itself, the very place where Ichigo had step foot in not two years earlier.

But it seemed that when Ichigo had set foot in Hell, _sent crashing more like it,_ the very area around him churned with every step, as if the place _remembered_ him.

But as of now that was a fleeting memory.

As Ichigo turned around, his long, very long, bright orange hair flew around him. He had grown accustomed to its length during these last few weeks of solitude.

However, he wasn't exactly alone as sinners would reach up from the infernos, bathed in both fire and chains. They tried to grab onto him at a fleeting sign of hope but an almost unintentional swing of one of his swords would put an end to that. At first Ichigo had been frightened and terrified of the sight.

He wanted nothing to do with these evil beings. They were in Hell for a reason.

He had paused the first time he thought of that statement.

Was _he_ in Hell for a reason?

Ichigo looked back to the giant Quincy cross, several hundred stories high and yards thick that loomed in the background of Hell now, reaching up to the lightning filled, fire ridden skies above. It was a testament to the power the Quincy king held.

But even the mighty, or Almighty have to fall at some point.

After the battle, Ichigo had tried to open a Senkaimon.

The key word, _tried._

He had freaked out and then tried to open a Garganta.

He tried and tried for days (weeks?) to open one or the other until he gave up. There was also no true system in which he could tell time either.

The man never grew hungry or tired as he wore the golden armor of Hell, the very armor that he believed that allowed him victory over the Quincy King.

What best to fell the Almighty or the Alpha than the Omega?

The armor he wore shook lightly at that thought.

Ichigo shrugged at that. The Kushanada that had been absorbed to make the armor must have still had conscious thought he assumed, and it did not like its home being insulted.

For the current moment Ichigo wore nothing save the bottom half of his shihakusho. His physical appearance however, was off putting. His skin was a sickly pale white, though another noticeable feature was the hole seen through and through his body. It did not hurt, nor did it ache. It was simply empty.

From the hole spanned several thick black lines, four of them, two on either side, stretched from the hole across his muscular chest and to his back. The other two stretched from the upper portion of the hole up to his neck and to the most frightening portion of his current condition.

The mask had jagged teeth and looked like a skull as it encased Ichigo's entire head. It was as white as his skin and had the marking that reached up his neck go over the eyes and to the back of the mask. Though the final additions to the mask were the two razor-sharp horns that protruded from either side of his head and jut forward sharply.

The man looked down to gold he wore on his body, his entire left arm encased in gold plating as well as his pectorals though his hollow hole was still visible as a golden skull was split in two to present it. It went down the left side of his abdomen and had a tooth-like tasset that covered his left hip and went down his right leg and around to the middle of his buttocks.

He looked downright terrifying to anyone, be they alive, dead, or damned.

Ichigo sat down with his sword and trench knife beside him. The brimstone he sat upon did not feel hot in any way. Was it that he had gotten used to the feeling of the heat? No. Maybe because to him and not the sinners in the inferno itself, the brimstone and obsidian was cool to his touch and his alone?

He shook his head at that.

 _Preposterous_.

Maybe it was his hierro? The very thing that when combined with his blut vene, _former blut vene,_ made his skin stronger than any alloy? No, he could still feel heat.

Maybe Hell was considerate of his stay there?

No, it was Hell. Even the name sounded bad.

Why didn't this place let him leave? What did this place want from him?

The orange-haired teen gazed at the hell in front of him with his sickly yellow and black eyes. Lightning crackled above him. Magma spewed from the brimstone. Fire bathed most residents here, the eternal brands of chains forever engraved and chiseled onto their burnt skin.

Ichigo sighed.

He just wanted to go home…

….

Kisuke Urahara sighed for the umpteenth time as he typed away at a reiatsu scanning computer.

What had happened in the final battle between Yhwach, the Almighty, and Ichigo Kurosaki? After the two had broken through the Dangai, nothing could be found of the two aside from the aftermath of their battle in the mortal world, Hueco Mundo, the Soul King Palace, and Soul Society.

If anything, Kisuke was mildly proud of his student as he could match the almighty Yhwach. The several-mile-wide craters around the world were a testament to the power both he and the Quincy King, _former_ king that is, had.

Hopefully.

The craters appeared, thankfully in unpopulated areas such as the Sahara, the deserts of Arizona, the unpopulated forests of Canada, the Alps, Greenland, the middle of the Atlantic, and Pacific, the Australian desert, the Himalayas, the flats of China, Siberia, the Congo, the Andes mountains, the list went on and on until the two of them broke through to Hueco Mundo.

Kisuke had, however, grimaced as the two of those transcendent beings seemed to travel throughout the world within hours, upsetting _much_ more than the mortal populace.

The aftermath of the battle in the mortal world resulted in tidal waves that rocked the coasts of most countries but the mortality rate was kept down due to the supernatural forces intervention. Inland, however, while most areas were unpopulated, some backwater towns were destroyed.

After than the shifting of sands in Hueco Mundo and the rearrangement of some of the Menos forest, the grey desert went mostly untouched.

Though the surviving Arrancar such as Grimmjow, Halibel, Starrk, Neliel, and Ulquiorra, (not so much the latter two), had something to say about the shifting of their home though the two transcendent combatants didn't stay in Hueco Mundo long, thankfully as they had neared Las Noches.

But after that, the two were _gone._

Vanished, and went up in smoke as they pushed through the last barrier they could push through, the gates of hell.

Kisuke had guessed that Ichigo and Yhwach had ended up in Hell and prompted to open a gate to the dimension.

Only to find that he could not.

Both he and several others had attempted to open the gate to the inferno but all had failed.

Shunsui had messaged the current rulers and had gotten no response from them so now all Kisuke could do is find another way to the forlorn dimension or wait.

Kisuke never really liked waiting either.

The light-blonde haired scientist rubbed his temples as he attempted to even find the Substitute but it seemed that the scanners he had set up two years during the first incursion to Hell weren't picking up on any anomalies.

Was it that Ichigo's power was far too great to be sensed by any sensors as it had been when he had fought Aizen?

No, no, that couldn't be right. It was technology, not the senses breathing shinigami and hollows had. It should be able to detect any anomaly, right?

 _Right?_

Meanwhile in the room adjacent to Kisuke's , Yoruichi stretched as she lay on her bed, gazing blankly at the ceiling. She wore nothing but her Omnitsukido uniform and black, baggy pants with her hair tied up like it usually was.

The woman turned her head to the right to see the still body of Ichigo Kurosaki, the boy's body had its eyes closed and it was steadily breathing. It also had a steady heartbeat and from what Yoruichi had gathered, that meant that the soul of Ichigo was still out there. Though it looked the exact same as it did those weeks ago when he left for Soul Society.

Yoruichi looked back to the ceiling as she muttered one word.

"Baka…"

Why did he constantly have to shoulder everything himself? He was still a boy to her, to everyone in the Soul Society, to his father, but he had done so much in the short span of his eighteen years of life.

She assumed that Yhwach was dead as he hadn't come to kill everyone but she still simply wished that her student would come home himself. His family missed him, his friends missed him, she missed him, and Urahara did as well.

Though she simply thought that Urahara missed someone he could annoy.

The former Shihoin head simply sighed lightly as she closed her eyes. Perhaps a nap would do some good.

…

"This meeting of the thirteen court guard squads is hereby come to order!"

The Soul Society was left in shambles after the Thousand Year Blood War.

Thousands of Shinigami were dead or MIA, billions of Kan in damages, some of which was still going on though the Rukongai, save for three several mile-wide barren craters, was relatively untouched, and the Gotei thirteen were down two Captains.

It would have been four captains if Isane, the Lieutenant of the Fourth Division to show up at the conclusion of Unohana's and Kenpachi's death battle to heal the both of them.

The only two captains the Thirteen Court-Guard Squads had lost had been the Thirteen Captain, Jushiro Ukitake, as the Captain bravely replaced himself with the soul king after Yhwach had been pushed from the palace. And the other casualty of course had been the previous Captain Commander Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto.

Both Unohana and Shunsui had been grieving for days after the saw Jushiro become encased in the crystal the previous soul king had been encased in.

Another evaded casualty was Sajin Komamura as his lieutenant Iba Tetsuzaemon had carried him back to Sajin's great grandfather to plead for the latter's heart back. Sajin's grandfather, however, had simply chuckled and then proceeded to gouge his own heart out before he used it to heal Sajin by replacing it with his own though the seventh division captain kept his more human appearance. One decisive drawback, however, was that Sajin lost his immortality.

Afterwards, Sajin's grandfather died shortly after and Sajin then proceeded to help in the undoing of Gerard Valkyrie, The Miracle.

Other than the intensive care some lieutenants were in, Izuru Kira being one of them, most of the upper rankings of the Gotei 13 did not suffer as it was mostly underlings that had lost their lives in the conflict with the Quincy.

The Quincy faction, however, was reduced to several dozen as Uryu Ishida had taken up the title of leader of the Quincies. Shunsui had recognized their efforts in defeating the king and his elite guard so he had let them escape with their lives. Though after some, _ehem,_ mild pleading on Inoue Orihime's part (Shunsui liked to think of it as seduction) Uryu was allowed to live his human life under surveillance.

With the Court of Pure Souls, or Central 46, disbanded for the time being as Military rule had not been lifted from the Soul Society as a whole, Shunsui could make these decisions himself.

Though back to the matter at hand, Shunsui looked at the Captains, his Captains and scanned them. Each of them looked relatively unchanged, save for new scars or Unohana's opting to wear her braid on her back rather than her front. Kenpachi had also opted to take the bells out of his hair and had taken off his eyepatch, saying that he refused to hold himself back anymore.

The only openings the court guard squads had now were Eighth Division's lieutenant and Captain positions and the Captain position for Squad Thirteen. Rukia would have been chosen for the promotion however she still needed training with her bankai as she had only attained not one month prior.

Shunsui cleared his throat.

"What are the reports on the reconstruction and recruitment of the divisions?" He asked with his usual lax tone somewhat evident as he leaned back in his chair with a lazy look in his eyes as the Inoue girl had also healed his wounds. He was garbed in his usual attire with his pink kimono covering his division one haori. He also had his usual straw hat tilted to the side. The lazy Captain Commander looked to Soi-Fon to report first.

"Division two is fully repaired though we are somewhat lacking staff. Though the new recruits from the academies look promising," she told the captain commander with authority present in her own voice.

"Division three is also fully repaired and while we did suffer many losses, and current soldiers are still shaken, we have an abundance of requests to join from the academy," Rose reported calmly.

Unohana was next. "Division four is still undergoing repairs but we have discharged most former patients and they are reporting to their former duty stations."

"All casualties have been accounted for and division five and our area of the Seireitei have been completely repaired," Shinji said blandly.

"Division six barracks have been repaired and recruitment has been going smoothly," Byakuya reported with closed eyes.

"Recruitment from the academy has been slow but as of now it is no issue. Repairs are nearly completed," Sajin responded with pride, the seventh division Captain's long white hair flowing freely behind his back.

Kensei spoke next, his ninth division haori thrown over his shoulder. "Repairs have been slow but recruitment has been moderately successful. Complete repairs should be done within two weeks. The workers from the Rukongai have really been helping out."

Ah, a political move by Shunsui. As reparation for not explaining the craters in Rukongai, he opened the doors to the Seireitei for the first time in the Soul Society's history. It worked fantastically as when he told the leaders of the organizations in the Rukongai that piece, their eyes lit up like the brightest of suns.

"Repairs are nearly completed but recruiting is slow," Toshiro Hitsugaya elaborated briefly.

Kenpachi Zaraki spoke next though the tone he had was one of complete and utter boredom. "Recruitment is fine, repairs are done."

"There were nearly no repairs to be made in the twelfth division but apparently this year's academy students are comprised of idiots," Mayuri told the Soutaichou (Captain Commander) with disdain in his voice.

Shunsui nodded at this, not at Mayuri's rude comment, but the reports. Good, this was very good. He already had a couple possible captain position recruits to take up the position and soon the Gotei 13 would be stronger than ever.

That was also when Shunsui groaned.

If he wanted to be as powerful as the old man, he'd really have to step up his game.

Speaking of overpowered individuals, where had Ichigo-kun gone to? As a matter of fact, was the boy even successful in bringing the Quincy King down?

From what Shunsui had knew he had broken through the dangai and to Hell after taking pit stops along with Yhwach through every other connected dimension.

He had heard from Kisuke that he had been unable to open the portal to Hell and so Shunsui had tried himself, but he had also failed in the endeavor.

It was as if someone had closed off those places from the inside and Shunsui had deduced that the only way for Ichigo to get out of hell was to open it from the inside, if the inferno had not claimed him, that is, but the Captain Commander sincerely hoped that wasn't the case.

Shunsui sighed as he leaned forward and rubbed his temples.

"Mayuri, is there any progress on opening the gates to Hell?" questioned Shunsui as he allowed his gaze to travel to the deranged, yet effective, Captain of the twelfth division.

Captain Kurotsuchi snorted. "No, even trying to forcefully open the gate from within the Dangai has not been a success," he reported in an annoyed tone. Unohana took offense to this and looked to the Captain, her eyes suddenly turning cold and dead.

"Kurotsuchi-taicho, need I remind you that you are addressing the Soutaicho? You should use respect," she said to him, the peaceful aura that she used to emanate had been gone ever since her confrontation with Zaraki.

Now she only emanated death to those she chose.

Kurotsuchi's eyes widened as the cold chill of fear crept over him. "F-Forgive me, Soutaicho." It seemed that he was not used to addressing others, or rather Shunsui, with respect.

Said Captain Commander simply waved him off as Unohana left off with her killing intent.

From across the room, Kenpachi grinned as he felt the killing intent his new, yet second favorite, sparring partner put out. Ichigo was still number one in his book. And Zaraki knew he would get his eventually.

"And what of the repairs being done to the dangai, Kido Corps Commander, Shusuke Amagai?" Shunsui asked as he turned his head to the right to see the newly appointed Commander with a pleasant smile on his face.

Unlike Yamamoto, and this was one of the few things he disliked about the old man, was that he was too caught up in tradition. He had not reformed the Kido Corps because they did things by themselves too much, which Shigekuni believed led Tessai, the former Kido Corps Commander, to defect with Urahara.

While this was a logical train of thought, Shunsui thought it was time to give that division another chance.

Shusuke Amagai had disheveled features as his off-blue hair seemed ragged looking. The man had hazel-colored eyes and had slight stubble on his chin. He wore the standard shihakusho with a captain's haori with the symbol for the Kido corps on the back.

"The Dangai is fully repaired though we are working on a new cleaner, Captain Commander," Shusuke responded, inclining his head slightly in the direction of Shunsui.

Shunsui nodded. "Good, good."

The following moments were met with silence. No one moved.

Shunsui and looked around and raised a brow.

"Why the hell are you all still standing around?"

Nanou Ise, his lieutenant coughed beside him.

"Kyoraku-Soutaicho, you need to dismiss them," she told him with a small whisper.

Shunsui made an 'oh' sound before he grumbled. He _really_ needed to get into the swing of things.

"Taicho's dismissed!"

….

Ichigo walked and walked.

He didn't know where he was going. He kept his eyes to the ground as he moved so that he wouldn't fall into lava and because he practically knew what was going to be ahead of him.

More fire and more brimstone. Just like the rest of this place.

" _This is the place where you will fall my wayward son!"_

Ichigo cringed as he remembered Yhwach's voice.

" _This is it! The fires around us will become your resting place as I ascend the throne and claim what is mine from my accursed father!"_

Ichigo stopped walking as he closed his eyes and grit his teeth.

" _I am above you, Kurosaki Ichigo! I know everything that you will do, and every outcome ends in your demise! So come at me with all you have so that I may crush you! You are Quincy no more and I will feel no remorse for ending you."_

The man clutched his weapons as they shook within his hands.

" _H-How are you controlling these fires? How did you obtain that armor?! Why are you beating me!?"_

It wasn't _fair._ Why was he still here, still wearing this armor, _this wretched armor,_ when Yhwach obtained passage to whatever afterlife he was able to, when Ichigo was still there?! _It wasn't fair!_

" _No! NO! Why did I not foresee this? Why?_ Why?! _"_

Ichigo screamed.

The man shifted his body around in a flurry of rage and flung his weapons about, the reiatsu within them being unleashed from the blades for the first time in weeks. Massive, gargantuan waves of pure, black and gold energy erupted from the edges of the swords. Ichigo continued to scream, his voice being distorted from the mask he was wearing causing gusts of wind to be picked up by his agony ridden sounds of pain alone.

Unconsciously, a red orb of destruction began to charge between his horns as he turned to the giant Quincy cross in the distance.

" _So, for the second time, I fall into a slumber. It is all because of you… you monster. Hell, the very thing that I as the almighty did not see as a development in my plans, was the tool for your victory. Remember…you did not win this fight. Hell did. Just as it has succeeded in Claiming you. You vile, wretched beast. Just by wearing that armor you are no longer the protector you desire to be. No…I foresee that you will be the one who destroys all that he would want to protect. I pray for the world as I look at you, Kurosaki Ichigo."_

The orb between Ichigo's horns began to grow larger and larger until it was five times the man's size. It's golden outlines sparked onto the fiery ground, disintegrating it before a moment of silence fell over the field of the inferno.

Once again, Ichigo _screamed._ If anyone would have heard him, they would have feared his vocal cords would have shredded themselves at the amount of stress he was putting them under.

The _giant_ cero ripped through the fields of Gehenna as it rocketed towards Yhwach's symbol of power.

On impact the cero decimated with no discretion the entirety of the cross' upper half. The cero continued onwards towards the sky of Hell before Ichigo kept firing it, pouring all his rage, his hate, onto the very being that wouldn't let him leave this place, the being that left him down there.

Explosions rocked Hell as several, mile-wide eruptions made themselves known, the outer lands of Hell being lit aflame anew by Ichigo's power.

After moments of Ichigo discharging his cero, the inferno fell silent once more as the power between his horns left him.

Ichigo stood as the quakes that shoot beneath his feet lessened themselves; the long tresses of hair that flowed behind him slowly stilled themselves as the explosions dissipated. Yet Ichigo could see no difference in Hell. If anything, Ichigo had made it even more hellish.

It was the same as always.

Ichigo also glared hatefully at the halved Quincy cross as it slowly began to rebuild itself from the reiatsu around him. Blue spirit particles began to make themselves into stone as the cross slowly but surely began to stand tall once more.

Ichigo let a growl escape his throat.

 _It was the same as always._

Moments later a surprisingly energetic sinner jumped up from the lake of fire next to Ichigo. This simply only proved to _piss_ Ichigo off even more.

A growl escaped his throat as he crossed his swords and slashed at the sinner which was bathed in fire, chains, and burning skin, the swords not even making contact with it.

" _ **Oh piss off!"**_ Ichigo let the guttural sound escape his throat as he destroyed the sinner in one fell swoop, the body parts from the damned soul being ripped from each other and landing several hundred yards away in other parts of the lake of fire.

Ichigo panted as the sinner caught the sharp end of his aggression.

However moments later, Ichigo's golden eyes widened to their fullest as a pair of purple doors adorned in chains and skeletons on either side appeared before him in a flash of fire.

Ichigo shook as the doors began to open, and unlike before, _so much time ago,_ no eye or scythe greeted him. The only thing that greeted him was a path made of fire that led into darkness.

With a shaky step, Ichigo walked forward and into the fiery black abyss.

As the man made his was onwards, piece by piece of golden armor began to fall off of him and onto the path before they dissipated in a burst of spirit particles.

Eventually they each fell off until all that was left was his pale skin and horned mask but Ichigo had the feeling that those things were going to stay permanently.

The man continued to walk on the path until he saw a light at the end of the pathway he was walking on. The light gradually grew brighter and brighter as he drew neared until he came upon a doorway that glowed with seemingly physical light.

Ichigo hesitated slightly as he outstretched the hand with the trench knife and touched the light. It did not hurt nor did it feel like, well, anything. And with a baited breath he pushed forward to see himself in a forest overlooking Karakura town.

The orange haired man breathed in a long, deep breath and smiled under his mask for the first time in weeks.

He was home.

….

For over an hour Kisuke had the hairs on the back of his neck sticking upward and they had not a care in the world.

He had the feeling of dread creep over him and he didn't even know why.

Kisuke's first thought was that he had left the over on but after he was sure that it was turned off, he was completely stumped. Did he miss Yoruichi's birthday?

No, that wasn't for another few months at least.

So, what was it?

Kisuke shook his head. It was useless to think of these things. There was no real danger so he had to focus on getting Kurosaki Ichigo back to his family and friends.

Moments later there were a few knocks at the door to his little shop.

It must've been Ishida Uryu. The defacto Quincy leader had checked in more often that most nowadays for Ichigo's whereabouts. That must've also been why Kisuke had not sensed any reiatsu at the door.

Kisuke was busy typing, trying to code his machine differently so that it could try at discern different types of reiatsu in Hell.

"Yoruichi! Can you get that?" Kisuke called out, not looking away from his monitor. Tessai, Jinta, and Ururu were each out getting groceries at the moment so it was only him and Yoruichi currently.

Kisuke received no response from the neko woman.

The blonde man grumbled. Damn cat must've been asleep.

In a huff, Kisuke stood up swiftly and grabbed his cane before he began to make his way to the door.

As the blonde grew closer to the door, the hairs on the back of his neck stood up even straighter than they had previously. The dread he felt increased tenfold as he rounded the corner to the door only to see Yoruichi standing there with wide eyes and the door was opened.

Kisuke briefly questioned why she was simply standing there only for his mouth to run dry at the being with pure white skin standing in the doorway, black markings, two swords, and long, orange hair. Another predominant feature was the hollow hole proudly presented in his chest seen through and through.

The longest sword was on the man's back, tied to his torso with black fabric and the shorter of the two was at his hip.

Both Yoruichi and Kisuke's mouths ran dry as the hollow, as they could discern, reached up to its mask and removed it slowly to reveal the face of Ichigo Kurosaki with golden and black eyes displayed illustriously. Or rather forcefully, though that depended on who beheld them.

Ichigo looked at the two of them and smiled though he could tell they were shocked at his appearance. His small smile disappeared and he coughed, gaining their attention.

"I guess we need to talk."

….

"This is indeed troubling," Kisuke mumbled as he looked at the orange-haired man. One thing he wouldn't let the supposed Shinigami Substitute know was that those golden and black eyes unnerved the hell out of him.

He, Yoruichi, and Ichigo sat across from each other in living room-esque are in the Shoten shop. Ichigo sat cross legged with his mask on the table. Ichigo already knew that removing the mask did little for him except let people look at this actual face. Kisuke had thought that would revert him back to his original form but for once, the sandy-blonde shopkeeper was wrong.

Perhaps Zangetsu had turned Ichigo into a hollow in last-ditch effort to save him from Hell's clutches?

"You don't think I know that, Kisuke?" Ichigo snapped back irritably with a scowl on his face, using Urahara's first name for a change to show he was upset.

Yoruichi simply gazed at the floor in thought. With how long Ichigo had been in Hell, had it changed him more than physically?

"How long have you been…like this, Ichigo-kun?" Yoruichi asked as she gazed at him making his eyes snap to her making the woman flinch subconsciously at the intensity.

Ichigo noticed the flinch if only barely and sighed before he answered. "It was in the middle of my fight with Yhwach, just about as soon as the armor of Hell attached itself to me," Ichigo responded.

Kisuke's eyes widened as well as Yoruichi's. They had both heard of Ichigo's previous endeavor into hell two years ago and from his account, Hell had helped him in defeating Kokuto by adorning him in golden armor.

Moments later Kisuke spoke. "Is that how you defeated Yhwach?" he asked finally which Ichigo looked at the ground.

He knew it wasn't _his_ power that defeated the former Quincy King, it was Hell's. Ichigo merely acted as the wielder for the sword which belonged to Hell.

Ichigo scowled even harder as he nodded.

Kisuke nodded to himself while Yoruichi simply frowned once more.

"How long was I down there?" Ichigo asked abruptly. "I couldn't tell, but it had been a while," Ichigo asked while Kisuke nodded once more. Hell didn't have a day or night cycle from what he could tell from the data.

"You were down there for twenty three human days," Kisuke responded while Ichigo's eyes widened slightly. He had been in Hell for _that_ long?

Kisuke had also gathered from other witnesses, Uryu, Renji, and Rukia, that it was a few moments after Ichigo had defeated Kokuto that the armor left him. So, going on a hunch, Kisuke decided to ask if the armor had left him after his battle.

"Ichigo," Kisuke called the Substitute's name, gartering his attention, "how long was the armor attached to you during your excursion?" he asked making Ichigo's eyes go towards the floor. If Kisuke didn't know any better, he would have assumed that Ichigo was ashamed to answer.

Moments passed before Ichigo answered. "…Up until I was walking in the portal home."

Kisuke's eyes widened. The armor had been attached for _twenty three days_ instead of a few _minutes_ this time?

Minutes passed in silence as Kisuke ran scenarios through his head, but he still couldn't shake the feeling of dread he had felt. He did, however, snap from his musings as Ichigo stood abruptly and began to make to make his way to the back of the store where his body was located after picking up his mask.

"What are you doing, Ichigo?" Kisuke as he stood as well while Yoruichi sat at the table, absent-mindedly looking at it, seemingly lost in thought.

"I'm going to get my body, Urahara," Ichigo responded tiredly as he opened the door only for Kisuke to put a hand on his shoulder.

"Ichigo we don't know what you entering your body will do to it. Please, just give me a little time to analyze this so I can make it to where you safely enter your body, alright?" Urahara pleaded slightly only for Ichigo to remove the blonde man's hand from his shoulder, the Kurosaki's clawed hand sending shivers down Kisuke's spine.

"Urahara," Ichigo spoke making both Kisuke and Yoruichi look at him as Ichigo turned around to look at them. Their eyes widened as they saw the dull and lifeless golden color of them. Ichigo seemed so _tired._ "I…I just want to go home."

Kisuke's eyes widened as his arm dropped to his side like a limp pile of flesh while Yoruichi closed her own golden eyes and pulled her knees up to her face and buried it in them.

Ichigo was still so _young._ He was eighteen and had seen two wars within three years of one another. The Winter War was no one giant battle to end all battles. After Ichigo's subsequent invasion of Hueco Mundo to save Orihime, both Aizen and Soul Society had geared up for war. Many skirmishes were fought on both sides. Aizen had tried to invade Soul Society but failed as he had already lost four Espada.

Likewise, Soul Society invaded Las Noches but failed as Aizen had used the Hogyoku to transform countless Menos Grande into arrancars, while mindless, they put up quite the fight to unseated Shinigami.

It ended as the Captains and Espada as well as the majority of their troops fought in a long, hard battle against each other in Soul Society, far from the Seireitei.

The war was long, lasting five months, and it was hard on the Substitute. Time and time again he was called to help assist in defense or offense. He had even lead contingents of Soul Reapers as there were still unmanned Captain positions, but he had seen some of them cut down before his very eyes as he was fighting his own battles and couldn't protect them. Sometimes he lost entire units on missions when he wasn't fast enough to protect them.

Of course he was trained by other captains to lead, and Yamamoto was against this at first but was eventually pressed into him becoming a leader of some kind.

The Thousand year blood war was the same though it lasted a month less that the other. But it was three times as bloody. Thousands more unseated and seated Soul Reapers were lost in the conflict and again, Ichigo had seen war that reshaped landscapes.

And in both of those wars he was eventually pit against the strongest on either side. And by a hair, he had come out the victor either times.

To keep up Ichigo's human appearances during these times, Kisuke had a mod soul act as Ichigo for the time being so that he wouldn't get kicked out of school.

Yoruichi felt guilt overcome her at these thoughts. Ichigo was still young, much too young for this. These events could shape his entire life into becoming detached war veteran. She sighed heavily. The only thing that could help him would be to be there for him, just like his family would be.

Ichigo walked to the back of the shop to see his body lying there, breathing steadily with closed eyes.

He smiled as he looked at his old appearance. He cringed at the thought of him having to look like this all the time.

Ichigo walked over to his body before entered it slowly.

For the first time in over two months Ichigo entered his body and he could tell it felt loads more different than when he was in his spirit form. The man slowly raised his hands up to reveal his peach-colored skin once more and he smiled slightly.

Ichigo slowly stood up which resounded in a multitude of cracks and pops echoing from his joints and bones. His muscles stretched themselves for the first time in weeks and it felt positively amazing for the young man. He currently wore a white tee with the number fifteen above his heart in black, khaki skinny jeans, and white sneakers.

Moments later he walked out and stretched his arms above his head while walking back into the living area. Urahara and Yoruichi both eyed the teen, the former with a small frown but it soon etched itself into a small grin while the latter of the two sent a smile towards him.

"I'll see you guys later," Ichigo said with a more upbeat tone of voice this time as he walked past the two to the entrance of the Shoten.

"See us soon, Kurosaki-kun," Kisuke said jovially as he moved to the other room to send a message to Soul Society.

And to run through many different events that ran through his head. He would prepare proper countermeasures if the events he thought were going to transpire were going to happen.

He wasn't labeled as a special war power by a being far more powerful than he was for no reason. Kisuke knew outright that his mind was his greatest weapon and he would use it to help his most prized student if he could.

He wouldn't tell Benehime that of course.

Just as Ichigo opened the door, Yoruichi hugged him from behind making Ichigo raise his eyebrows in surprise at the gesture.

"I wanna know how my student defeated Yhwach in detail sometime later, alright, berry-kun?" she said in a muffled voice.

Ichigo smiled. She truly had missed him. He even disregarded the misuse of his name…for now.

"Of course, kitty-chan," he grinned towards her as she let go of him after hitting him on the back lightly.

Ichigo chuckled as he sent a backhanded wave towards Yoruichi and headed home.

….

Ichigo wouldn't let loose the smile he wore as he made his way towards his home. Even though he had arrived back in Karakura town mere hours ago, Hell seemed like such a distant memory.

He would say hello to his friends later, now, he just wanted to hug his sisters and land a hit on his asshole father.

He traversed the streets towards his home like he had done for the past eighteen years. It still felt so alien to him, so unreal. But he was still _happy._

When Ichigo arrived at his house he saw his dad's car parked in front so that meant he was home. And add to the fact that the sun was getting dimmer; his sisters should've been home as well.

Ichigo walked up and raised a fist to knock on the door. He hesitated, if only slightly before the door opened itself to reveal Karin with a soccer ball in one hand and cell phone talking to someone in the other. The fourteen year old girl had turned around when she opened the door to put on her shoes and clearly hadn't noticed him. She wore a black tee shirt and white shorts that ended just above the knee as well as black sneakers.

"Yeah, yeah, I know I'm running late for practice, but I'll be there in a few. Yes, I'm bringing a spare ball-," Karin had turned around at this point and had noticed the new presence. Her eyes widened as she looked at the smiling form of her brother.

Ichigo could hear the other person on the other end calling Karin's name but said girl was currently gaping like a fish.

Seconds later Karin responded. "Yeah, uh, I don't think I'll be able to make it to practice today," she said, not even bothering to wait for a response as she promptly hung up the cell phone.

She dropped the ball as Ichigo continued to smile.

"Hey there, Karin," he said in his deep baritone voice as the black-haired girl leapt at him in a surprising show of affection.

Moments later Karin pulled away as she called for Yuzu.

"Yuzu! C'mere!" Karin shouted as she and Ichigo entered the house.

The other twin rounded the corner from the kitchen wearing a pink apron above a pink tee, black pants and no shoes or socks. Her eyes widened as tears spilled from them moments later as she ran at her big brother with a large smile on her face.

Ichigo accepted the hugs from his little sisters as he picked them both up with a grand bear hug.

Behind them Isshin crossed his arms and smiled at his children.

He had heard neither hide nor hair from Ichigo after he had left for Soul Society a month ago. Usually the Substitute checked in once in a while but he had heard nothing from him and Ichigo's siblings were beginning to worry. The only indication he had was that Ichigo's last known location was Hell battling Yhwach.

But his son was home and that was all that mattered.

….

Ichigo smiled down at his sisters as they lay on either side of him, their heads resting on his thighs with smiles on their faces. The Shinigami was sitting on the couch and it was around eleven at night. He was watching television but it was getting late if his yawn had any indication about it.

Adjacent from him, Isshin sat on a chair, looking at the three of his children, a small smile directed to them. He was happy his son was home where they could be a family again.

Isshin coughed gaining Ichigo's attention.

"I'm glad you're home, my boy," he said while Ichigo nodded with a small smile in place.

"I wouldn't want to be anywhere else," Ichigo responded.

Another hour passed and Isshin was passed out in the chair he was sitting in and Ichigo could feel himself nodding off as well. It was time for bed he assumed.

Ichigo gingerly picked up both of his sisters and carried them to bed like he used to when they were little, though they were still little to him as his frame of 6'1'' towered over their 5' easily.

The orange haired man laid Karin down first, kissing her forehead softly before he made his way to Yuzu's room, doing the same to her as well. But he didn't notice the thin sheen of sweat forming its way over her skin.

Ichigo smiled as he made his way to his room and shed his clothes 'til he was down to his black boxers. He then sifted through his drawers and pulled out clothes until he was finally garbed in a black wife-beater and red sweatpants. The shinigami fell onto his bed with an 'oompf' before he put his arms behind his head and closed his eyes.

Things truly couldn't get any better right then.

Ichigo had never been more right in that very moment.

 **Soul Society…**

"Mayuri-sama!" a scientist called out frantically as alarms blared throughout the 12th division's barracks.

"What is it?! Have you discovered who opened the gate to Hell? And what are the reverberating shockwaves of Hell's energy coming from?!" he shouted to his subordinate who typed away frantically at a computer.

"Yes, I believe so!" the unnamed squad 12 member said. "Ichigo Kurosaki opened the gates from _inside_ Hell! And the cause for the energy fluctuations is by the Substitute himself!"

Mayuri's eyes widened before they narrowed. "Get me the Soutaicho immediately! We need to send a message to the Royal Guard!"

 **Next Morning: Karakura Town…**

Ichigo awoke to the sun shining on his face. Slowly he yawned before he opened his eyes and blinked.

Once, twice, three times before he realized he was in his bed for the first time in months.

The orange-haired man smiled once more as he sat up and put his feet on the ground before stretching.

The man looked out his window to see the sun shining. It looked like it was almost noon.

 _Had I really slept for twelve hours?_ He questioned himself before he shook his head free of the thoughts. Moments later her stood up and made his way to the bathroom.

 _Might as well get a shower and start my day,_ he thought as he flipped on the bathroom light, not even bothering to look in the mirror as he began to shed his clothes after shutting the door. Soon enough he stood nude as he started the shower. The man outstretched a hand and turned the walk in shower to let it warm up. However there was one thing that caught his eye and the appendage he used to turn the shower on.

 _Did I get…paler?_ He thought as he looked at his once sun-kissed skin only for it to now be several shades paler. It wasn't chalk white like his…hollow form…

His eyes widened.

 _Oh no…_

Ichigo whipped around fast enough he could feel his head spin from the action. His eyes widened to their fullest as he looked at his appearance.

The man leant forward and let a _furious_ visage of anger cross his face as he looked onto his once amber eyes only for them to have the same golden color as his spiritual form's eyes. He stretched his bottom eyelid downward as he looked at the dull gold, flecked with the old amber of his eyes though his scleras were not black. He then looked down at his skin and immediately looked away.

The markings his hollow form had were now on his chest, originating from the pale skin instead of a hollow hole this time though it was still in a circular fashion. They reach around to his back and up to his neck, stopping just below his jaw where his mask would usually complete them.

Ichigo's right fist twitched itself into a fist as he let loose a mighty roar, shattering the mirror with his fist.

 _I should have waited…Kisuke might have been able to figure something out…_

"Damnit!" he cursed as he withdrew his fist however the curse was not from pain, but the appendage was steadily dripping blood though Ichigo briefly wondered that it should have been bleeding more that it was. Though that thought was vacated from the man's head as soon as it came.

Ichigo furrowed his brows in frustration as he looked at the broken mirror once more, the grinning visage of Zangetsu appearing behind him though Ichigo knew that was just because of the resemblance he now bore to him.

Ichigo shook his head. Zangetsu had a reason to turn him into a hollow. He wouldn't blame his Zanpakuto's late or sleeping spirit for his own weakness. Ichigo eventually got into the shower and began to slowly clean himself. However for some time he simply stood in the water and let it cascade down his pale form.

How would he explain this to his sisters? How would he explain this to his father let alone anyone in Soul Society?

Ichigo grit his teeth as he turned the running water off. The man reached for a towel and began to dry himself off at a sedated pace before he put on his boxers and put his other dirty clothes in the hamper.

Putting the towel around his shoulders, Ichigo looked at the shattered mirror once more as well as his reflection. He scowled and closed his eyes and made his way to his room, hoping that neither of his sisters or father would be on the second floor of the house. He really wanted to avoid them at the moment as they would ask too many questions. Or notice the mirror before he could replace it.

Ichigo himself needed to come to terms with the changes first as he still fully hadn't accepted them.

Luckily both of his siblings and father were not there so he was unhindered in going to his room.

The man quickly changed into a pair of light blue jeans, black tee, and a brown jacket with fur around the hood. He looked at his reflection in his mirror in his bed room and looked away.

Seconds later he heard a crash and scream from downstairs, the scream belonging to Karin.

Ichgio's eyes widened as he bolted downstairs in search for his sisters, noticing that he could see Karin kneeling at the entrance to the kitchen. That meant that Yuzu had fallen.

Ichigo quickly made his way over and knelt down beside Karin to see Yuzu on her side facing away from him, shaking slightly. There were a few broken plates beside her so Ichigo had figured that, that was the noise he had heard.

He looked to see Karin frozen up as she looked at her sister on the ground. Ichigo shook his head and grabbed Karin by the shoulders, forcing her to look at him.

"Karin! What happened? Why is Yuzu on the floor?" He asked her, his deep voice making her look at him only for her eyes to widen as she looked at him.

Ichigo shook her again as she noticed her looking at him. "Karin, I don't give a fuck what I look like! What happened!?" he raised his voice at her making her tear her eyes away from him.

"I-I was watching T.V. and Yuzu had been looking sick all m-morning but other than that she seemed fine, but then I noticed a b-black chain coming from her chest and she fell to the floor," Karin elaborated as Ichigo's eyes widened once more as he let go of Karin and slowly rolled Yuzu towards him. His eyes began to water as he looked at the familiar chain of Hell that she had possessed years ago, pale skin that looked like she lost blood and dead eyes.

 _No…no! It's not fucking fair! How did this happen?! It is because of me!? Did I do this because of me being down there for so long?! WHY?!_

Ichigo's mind a thousand miles a minute as he tried to process why this was happening. He hadn't even noticed Karin's voice as he looked at his downed sister.

"Ichigo!"

Said man looked to his other sister after a second before he blinked and refocused.

After a moment he spoke. "K-Karin, get dad, and have him take a look at it, okay? He's probably in the clinic. I-I have to go to Urahara's and figure out what's going on," he said shakily as he kissed Yuzu's forehead before he stood up. He then looked at Karin with his golden eyes and nodded to her. "I need you to be strong for me, Karin, and take care of your sister. Know that I love you both…okay?" he told her as more tears threatened to spill from his eyes.

Karin nodded as she hugged her brother before he quickly kissed her head. Moments later she bolted to the clinic as he picked up Yuzu and put her on the couch. Her shaking hadn't ceased but the chain was still prevalent as ever.

Ichigo knelt down and pet her head as he put his forehead to hers. "I'm sorry for this, Yuzu-chan," he mumbled as more tears fell. He heart wrenched itself as he looked her almost lifeless body. Ichigo kissed her forehead once more before he quickly ran to the door, put on a pair of black sneakers and sprinted towards Kisuke's.

….

Ichigo ran and ran and ran.

He didn't know how fast he was going as buildings flew past his face.

It was so similar to when he felt his friends and family betrayed him to Tsukishima. He didn't know what was going on, why it was happening.

Ichigo grit his teeth as he neared the shop. Who else's fault would it have been other that Ichigo's that Yuzu would have the chain of Hell in her chest? Ichigo had spent so long down there; he should have figured that when the armor had not dissipated from him like it had the first time that something was wrong.

Ichigo shook his head.

Jumping to conclusions not matter how logical they may have been would not help at this time. Not when his sister was suffering. He needed answers and he needed them now.

Ichigo finally arrived at the shop moments later and quickly flung open the door. Pleasantries could be held off for the current moment.

Ichigo scanned the first room of the candy shop only to find that it was empty. Kisuke was mostly a recluse so it was very likely that he was in the back. Without even taking his shoes off, Ichigo quickly entered the shop and walked into the living area only for his eyes to widen.

Around the table sat Yoruichi in the same clothes she wore the previous day as well as Kisuke, Tessai also sat there and the most surprising member was the leader of the Royal Guard himself, dressed in his usual Royal Guard outfit.

"Ichibei…?" Ichigo muttered to himself as each of the occupants of the table look at him and for all of their eyes to widen at his pale skin and eyes.

Kisuke's eyes clenched themselves shut as the resemblance to Ichigo's hollow form struck him immediately. He should have pressed Ichigo more into waiting more than he did.

"Ichigo-kun? What happened to you?" Ichibei asked only for Ichigo to brush him off and to fall to his knees in front of Kisuke in a flurry of grief.

Yoruichi and Tessai's eyes widened as they looked at the frantic Substitute. This was the first time they had seen him like this. What in the _Hell_ had happened?

"Kisuke!" Ichigo began as he caught his breath. "You've gotta…help! Yuzu she's got…the chain! The chain…!" Ichigo tried to speak only for Kisuke to put his hands on Ichigo's shoulders.

"Ichigo!" Kisuke shouted. "Get a hold of yourself! Calm down and speak to me clearly!" he told Ichigo while the Substitute looked at the floor. Panicking would do not good in this situation.

After a few moments Ichigo spoke.

"It's Yuzu…" Ichigo began. "I heard crashing from my room after I discovered my new," Ichigo paused, " _appearance,_ and went downstairs to find Karin hovered over Yuzu who was on the floor. I rolled her over…and," Ichigo choked back a sob. "She had the same chain…the _same chain,_ that she had two years ago when those Togabito attacked, the _chain of Hell,_ " Ichigo finished in a whisper as Kisuke's, Yoruichi's, and Tessai's eyes to widen.

"It's your fault," Ichigo heard making his head snap up to Ichibei's direction, an angry visage on his face.

" _My_ fault? How the fuck is it my fault, Ichibei!?" Ichigo shouted as he stood up to face the large sitting man.

"It's your energy's fault, more like," Ichibei corrected. "From the reports I've read, ever since you became a Soul Reaper, you've had an overabundance of energy, so much so that you can let it flow from you at 'full blast' that you dubbed it, all the time and not feel fatigued. Even though you are, ehem, _transcendent,_ as I heard Aizen Sosuke dub it, your energy can still affect this plane of existence. Just like how weaker beings are killed in Aizen's presence. Because you were in Hell for twenty three days, and wore the armor for _twenty three days,_ the taint of Hell has overtaken your spiritual energy or has begun to coexist with it, and those who have been in Hell before but were not damned will be affected. Your sister, for example," Ichibei explained with steel in voice while Ichigo's eyes widened.

It truly did sound like it was his fault. And his previous suspicions were true after all…

"And as of this moment, because your amount of energy is so large, it is currently spanning the entirety of this town and the surround area. Anyone who has been claimed in Hell before this current moment is currently being affected. Ishida Uryu, Abarai Renji, and Kuchiki Rukia. The other two will be effected if you enter Soul Society. Regular Soul reapers and those with a good degree of spiritual resistance should not be affected," Ichibei continued to elaborate. "The only way to counteract this is for the source to get as far away as possible."

Kisuke pursed his lips. The suspicions he had the day before were correct and the feeling dread he was currently still feeling was the Hell energy's latent feeling. Ichibei was as old, if not older, that Yamamoto, thus he should have known more about Hell than almost anyone.

Yoruichi looked at Ichigo with a sorrowful gaze as she noticed his whole world crashing around him. The day before he had just wanted to go home after this long war he was in, and now he was being pushed away from that very home the next day.

Tessai opted to stay quiet and observe. He knew very little of Hell's workings, and Ichibei seemed to know more than most so he would let the leader of the Royal Guard do the talking. He truly felt remorse for the young Kurosaki, to be burdened so heavily.

Ichigo clenched his teeth. "Can I go to Soul Society? What about Hueco Mundo? Is there anywhere I can go aside from halfway around the world?" Ichigo asked as his eyes were closed. Each of the occupants could see the tears streaming down his face as he looked at the ground.

Ichibei shook his head while ignoring Ichigo's tears. He was the leader of the Royal Guard, protector of the Soul King and Soul Society first and Ichibei Hyosube second.

"The only world you may stay in is this world. The Chain of Fate, an invention made by the first Soul King, protects the Souls of this world from even a force such as Hell's influence. Soul Reaper's Saketsu (Binding Chain) and Hakusui (Soul Sleep) keep them protected, however the residents in the Rukongai will be affected just as much as your sister because they lack all three of those things. The same goes with Hollows of the lower degree because they lack the Soul Sleep or Binding Chain. Coyote Starrk, I believe, killed lesser hollows just from his reiatsu alone because they lacked the resistance. Arrancar have the same Saketsu and Hakusui thus giving them the ability to resist your reiatsu. But others will not be so lucky," Ichibei continued while Ichigo could feel his entire world coming down upon him, each explanation more painful than the last.

"It's for the good of Soul Society, Ichigo, I hope you understand," Ichibei told the youth. The reaction he obtained from that, however, was as sharp as Oetsu Nimaiya's Zanpakuto.

Ichigo let a growl escape his throat as his sadness was replaced by anger in an instant. Ichigo's golden eyes _bore_ their way into Ichibei's onyx orbs. "No, as a matter of fact, I don't understand. I don't fucking understand why you can't help me, but all it seems like you're doing, _Ichibei,_ is pushing me away, the very person that _saved your lives_ , _Ichibei!_ But fine, I'll roll over, _Ichibei_ ; I'll accept this if only for the beings that I'll harm in my own 'selfishness'. How does Shunsui feel about this, _Ichibei?"_ Ichigo asked the man, venom dripping from his words every time he used Ichibei's cursed name. Ichigo was standing by this point, glaring one of his most heated glares at the man.

Ichibei glared back at the boy, but said nothing about the use of his name. "My word oversteps his, Ichigo Kurosaki. He protested as well, however, when I presented to him the after effects of his allowing you to go to Soul Society, he backed off the matter, but again, I am the vassal of the Soul King first, your friend second. I am simply doing what is best for Soul Society. The Senkaimon will be sealed off from your use," Ichibei stood up at this and his skin began to glow, "I bid you farewell, Ichigo Kurosaki. And may your," he coughed, " _developments,_ become controlled."

And with those last few words Ichibei was gone in a pillar of light, back to the Soul King palace.

Ichigo's anger bristled as he closed his eyes. The man bit his lip allowing his blood to flow from it. Kisuke moved to the back room to go get a few items while Tessai moved to help him as well. Yoruichi stood and made her way over to Ichigo before she engulfed him in a hug, the tightest hug she had ever given him.

Ichigo made no move to hug her back as he shook with unbridled fury.

Did Yhwach foresee this as well?

Ichigo could hear the dead Quincy King laughing. In the end, he had gotten the last laugh.

Ichigo was being forced from his home because of something beyond his control at the moment. He didn't want to hurt his sister, someone he wished to protect. It went against his code, his creed, his _blood,_ to hurt someone he protected.

And here he was, doing that, be it unintentional or not.

After a moment he returned Yoruichi's hug and put his head on the top of hers. She felt him pour his sadness and anger into this motion as she could feel his stomach convulse as she felt his silent sobs.

They stayed like this for what seemed like ages as Yoruichi clung to him, trying to be his pillar of support in this, but she knew she couldn't do much. There was nothing to be sorry about, nothing to talk out, and nothing to fix normal problems. All Ichigo could do at the moment was leave and figure things out from there.

Moments later, Kisuke came out from his 'workshop' with a couple duffle bags being held up by one hand, and in the other, van keys to his van out back, and Ichigo's Shinigami badge.

Ichigo let go of the hug from Yoruichi while she did not and blinked away the water in his eyes. He looked onto the items in Kisuke's hands and cringed.

He truly was going away from the very place he wanted to be most.

….

Tokyo airport was roughly an hour from Karakura town.

Ichigo sat in the seat behind the front passenger seat of the van which was currently on its way to the airport.

Yoruichi sat in the passenger seat while Kisuke drove. It had been silent ever since they had set foot in the van and no one knew how to break the silence. Ichigo, however, didn't want to break it as he really had nothing to say.

He hadn't had anything to say as Ichibei had answered everything he needed to know. Regardless of whether or not Ichigo wanted to hear it or not.

In short, Ichigo was without a purpose.

He was going to be without anyone to protect, no one to ward over. He had all this _strength,_ yet had no reason to use it now except to defend himself.

HIs heart throbbed. He didn't even say goodbye to Orihime, or Chad, Uryu, Mizuiro, Tatsuki, Keigo, let alone say hello to them, or even say a proper goodbye to his father, or his sisters, or even stop by his mother's grave.

He blinked tears away as he thought of Yuzu and the pain he was putting her through. But maybe his absence would truly help her.

Ichigo stared at the passing cars as they drove, his mind running a million miles a minute. He put his hood over his head and closed his golden eyes.

He briefly pondered asking his friends if they would accompany him, but he shook that thought off quickly. He wouldn't ask them to stop their lives for his sake. He also needed someone to protect his family where he could not.

Kisuke began to pull into the airport and cleared his throat. He looked in the rearview mirror to see Ichigo still looking out the window. "Ichigo," Kisuke called making the Substitute look at him out of the corner of his eyes. He had Ichigo's attention, Kisuke supposed.

"In one of those bags is all you need to continue your life outside of Japan. I forged your High School Diploma, saying that you graduated last year. All of your documents are in there as well including your passport as well as a decent amount of currency for the country you'll be going to, France. I picked that country because you excelled in that class more than any other in High School," Kisuke told the man only for Ichigo to grunt as he looked forward now and clasped his hands in the other and tilted forward. "In the other bag is basic essentials and some clothes that should fit you."

Yoruichi turned her head to look at Ichigo, and her eyes grew saddened at his expression. She steeled her resolve at that. She would go with him, and be his support for this ordeal, his pillar to cling on. She had traveled the world before so she could guide him.

"There's also one more thing," Kisuke said seriously as he pulled over to the terminal area where Ichigo could get out and begin his departure.

"I've modified your Substitute Badge to where it's similar to the arrancar's Negacion cubes. It puts your body in a pocket dimension until you need it again. Just put it to your Spiritual Body again and it will appear," Kisuke explained, gaining the faintest of nods from Ichigo.

Kisuke sighed. Ichigo was barely paying attention but it was perfectly understandable.

After a moment, Ichigo opened the door and exited before putting on a pair of sunglasses to hide his new eyes from the churning masses around him, going in and out of the airport, not even noticing the three beings of supernatural power around them.

Moments later both Kisuke and Yoruichi and exited as well, Yoruichi garbed in an orange sweatshirt now as well as her baggy black pants and black shoes while Kisuke wore his usual Geta-Boshi outfit.

Ichigo grabbed both of his bags and put them over his shoulders while shutting the van door back. He then noticed Kisuke looking at him with a frown before it morphed into a small smile. "I've got some reiatsu control exercises in there as well. Don't worry, Ichigo, you'll be back here in no time, I have faith," he said while he nodded to Ichigo. Ichigo nodded back however Kisuke noticed his expression didn't change. Kisuke extended a hand to shake Ichigo's, a gesture Ichigo sluggishly returned. "Good luck, Ichigo," he said while he stepped back so that Yoruichi could say her piece as well.

Yoruichi stood in front of Ichigo before she smirked and put a hand on her hip. "You think I'm gonna let my cute little student explore the world all by himself?" she said while behind Ichigo's sunglasses his eyes widened. Moments later he shook his head.

"No, Yoruichi," he said somberly making her lose her smirk and for her eyes to widen. "I need to go by myself. You can't disappear from your friend's lives in Soul Society. I also need you to help protect my family, my friends where I can't," Ichigo said with sadness evident in his voice.

Yoruichi shook her head as she looked at him. "I can send a message to Soi-Fon and tell her I'll be dealing with stuff! And your friends and Kisuke, and Isshin can protect each other! Ichigo, I don't want you to be alone in this. You bear so much on your shoulders already, I don't want loneliness to be another thing you have to deal with!" Yoruichi began to shout, drawing the attention of those around them.

The civilians looked on to see a lover's quarrel or a heartbreaking goodbye, the real reasoning behind the argument, they would never know.

Ichigo looked at her for a moment before he let a small, very small, sad smile to grace his features. He put a hand on her shoulder before he shook his head.

"I need to be strong for the moment. I need to be strong for just a little longer…and if loneliness keeps me from taking my aggression out on you whenever I begin to feel anger about this situation, then so be it. I'll protect you by going by myself," Ichigo told her solemnly.

Kisuke's wide eyes at the declaration of Yoruichi's wanting to go with Ichigo being rejected so easily by Ichigo softened at his reasoning. _Why must you shoulder this alone, Ichigo?_ He thought. Ichigo wanted to continue being a protector of some kind he would take the entire burden himself.

Yoruichi was about to put a hand on Ichigo's shoulder to knock some sense into him only for the Substitute to turn around and begin to walk away, offering the two of them a backward wave as he entered the airport, disappearing with the crowds.

Yoruichi felt her hand go numb as she clenched her fist and blinked tears away. She muttered one word as she and Kisuke entered the van again to go back to Karakura.

"Baka…"

….

Ichigo stared out the window to the airplane as it took off, the rumbling of the machine leaving the ground quickly becoming a background noise to him.

Kisuke had been nice enough to obtain Ichigo his former phone and earbuds to pass the time.

Perhaps music would help soothe his guilt about the situation.

As the plane's rumbling leveled out, Ichigo turned his head to look out at the sunset.

The person beside him, a man in his forties, had tried to make small talk with Ichigo but stopped when Ichigo put in his earbuds, after muttering 'asshole' of course.

Perhaps he shouldn't have rejected Yoruichi's offer, if only for a better person to sit beside him.

In the end, Ichigo didn't care. His mind was still occupied on his family and friends. He would miss them dearly, but because he didn't know the extent of his power, he would have to get as far away as possible.

It wouldn't make sense to move to a nearby town when he still couldn't see his sister without adverse reactions.

Perhaps this was what Aizen meant in their final fight.

Being one of the strongest was a lonely existence.

Ichigo closed his eyes as he tried to sleep.

It was lonely indeed.

 **...**

 **REVIEW!**

 **Yo, not dead, simply writing the longest chapter for anything I've ever written. And a reviewer noticed that I was writing almost exclusively Naruto fanfictions.**

 **And he was right. Lol**

 **So here's a Bleach x H. story for ya.**

 **It will be a harem, like most DxD stories, but I'll let you figure out the members.**

 **The idea for the powers is not wholly original as I was reading Do Me a Wrong by ChaosEmperorNex but the theme, as you've guessed, is ENITRELY different. I won't be going off of canon for a while.**

 **But yeah, leave me a review, tell me how it was.**

 **By the way, if anyone tells me that Ichigo was being a bitch about this, no, he wasn't. If he went anywhere, he'd damn someone, if he stayed in Karakura, he'd damn his sister eventually. So what other choice than just leave or go back to Hell?**

 **I sure as fuck wouldn't want to go back to the place that caused me to get the powers to harm others on that type of degree.**

 **Anyways, REVIEW!**

 **PEACE! :D**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hot off the press, no time to edit as I'm about to go to work! Enjoy!**

… **.**

Ichigo never considered himself a heavy drinker.

When he was fifteen, he had shared his first beer with his father, and then the two of them proceeded to get drunk after a while, though Ichigo was trashed around five or so, while Isshin had ten in him before he was drunk enough to feel great, but feel sober enough to babysit his puking son.

Ichigo chuckled lightly as he recalled that certain memory of his father. The old man was very adamant about Ichigo's drinking with him. He eventually persuaded him after the first time to drink with him semi-regularly after saying 'Is it so wrong to want to unwind and have a cold one with my son?!'

And from then on, whenever his sisters were asleep, every so often, he and his father would drink together. It was one of the rare occasions where they didn't argue, didn't hit each other, nothing. They would watch bad movies on television and babble incoherently to one another. Either that or make drunken meals when they got the drunk munchies. It was their bonding time to unwind, whether it be from Ichigo's stress at school or Soul Reaper responsibilities, or Isshin's stress with his clinic.

All in all, their bonding time, their little secret from their other family members, was a great time.

His sisters never found out about the activities, though they questioned sometimes why they would wake up and seen beer cans laid about the living room and kitchen, or half-eaten meals or open bags of chips. Isshin had given the excuse that he had friends over late at night and things got a little crazy sometimes.

Yuzu accepted the excuse whole-heartedly while Karin blatantly called their father an alcoholic.

Ichigo once again chuckled as he remembered that.

Currently, for the past month or so, Ichigo found himself in various bars around the marvelous city of Paris, France. The legal age for drinking being 18 and Ichigo hit that age right on the mark.

And from then on, he considered himself a drinker.

Honestly, Ichigo didn't know what else to do right then. He had no desire to find a job, though he knew that would be in his best interests. He had wallowed for two weeks when he had first arrived in the country, and whenever people, more on the male, delinquent side of the spectrum, decided to pick on him, they would often be found beat half to death in an alley out back.

They had mocked his pale skin and his hair. They deserved it and Ichigo found the act fairly stress relieving. Ichigo then quickly realized that simply beating people up was not a very healthy alternative to relieve his aggression on his situation. He had stuck to drinking after that, his nerves simmering to the point where they could handle being called names.

Absolutely no one had seen his eyes, however, and he would keep it that way. Golden eyes were not normal and that would only attract attention.

Then again, neither was orange hair but that wasn't the point.

Ichigo realized he was being childish in this. He knew this very well. But it still _hurt._ It hurt so very much to think of his sister's suffering by his hand.

Ichigo knocked another swig of his German lager back when he thought of that.

It was around ten at night currently at the La Fourmi (The ant in French) bar. This was the bar he frequented most of the time after he discovered it was relatively cheap and had good tastes. Ichigo sat on a barstool right at the bar and idly watched Fútbol (soccer) on the television.

Ichigo wore a white tee-shirt with the number fifteen in black on either side of it. He also wore blue-jeans and black sneakers. Overtop the shirt was the same jacket he had arrived in France in with fur lining the hood. Nothing lavish, but fine for his time in the bar.

Ichigo had heard nothing from Kisuke or anyone on the spiritual side of his homeland, well nothing other than Kisuke's calling after Ichigo landed, saying that he would do all he could to help the former Shinigami.

Isshin and his sisters had called the most, a few times a week. Some of the burden had been lifted from Ichigo's shoulders when he heard from Yuzu that it wasn't his fault and that she still loved him, regardless of what had happened. Ichigo knew damn well it was his fault, but for her to think of it as it not being his fault was heart-warming for him.

It was similar to when his mother had died. It had taken a few years for him to truly get out of that self-blame. But as soon as his father had told him with tears in his eyes that it wasn't his fault, Ichigo began on the path to his current personality, of protecting those dear to him.

Ichigo cringed at that thought and knocked back another swig.

The man looked down to his drink to look at his reflection. Ichigo's eyes dulled as they looked back at him, the sunglasses on, hood over his face, and might-as-well-be-tattoos on his neck.

Ichigo's wallowing in self-pity was cut short by a loud, obnoxious laugh entering the bar. The orange haired man turned to see a multitude of men entering the establishment, each of them varying in both ethnicities and ages. Some looked twenty while others looked early fifties. Ichigo scanned the crowd of men and noticed that some had empty bandoliers or looked rather buff as they had a good amount of muscle. Either that or they had vests on underneath. Or guns, could be guns.

Ichigo guessed they were some ragtag security team or possibly a mercenary group like some you see in movies. The same insignia was bared on each their shirts, jackets, scarves, or pants. It was a flying bird of some kind in dark green and black. Yep, they were definitely a mercenary group.

The bar owner waved at the group entering the bar while one man with long, auburn colored hair in a braid, an eyepatch over his left eye, an Australian slouch hat as well as brown combat boots, dark green pants with many pockets, a beige undershirt under an unbuttoned, dark-green military-eques jacket with rolled up sleeves and many pockets as well began to talk with the bartender. He also wore a plaid scarf that was wrapped around his neck just as his long braid was.

Ichigo turned his head to look at the auburn-haired man out of the corner of his eye. After a brief conversation with the bartender of which left to the back to procure enough drinking glasses for the men of who were sitting down by now in the back in booths, the man looked at Ichigo before he smirked at the young man and nodded.

Ichigo's eyes widened before he quickly returned to his drink.

An hour passed and the time was getting late. Ichigo sighed. After much internal deliberation he would begin to look for a job here in Paris. He rationalized that it would be best to stay here until he gained control of his power before he returned home. He knew the layout of the town now and he had seen several help wanted signs in restaurants and other establishments and he figured he could get one eventually.

Then again, who would hire someone that looked like him?

Ichigo scowled before he shook his head. If he was going to get turned down then maybe he should get turned down in person first.

The group that had entered not long ago was being as loud as ever. They had even attracted several women who had been in the bar beforehand or had entered later. Some seemed to know the group and they acted as if they were old friends.

Ichigo shook his head again. He didn't know these people and they didn't acknowledge him so they were of no concern.

Ichigo looked to his side to see another man enter the bar and he looked shadier than Ichigo did. He wore a grey trench coat and black fedora over a business suit. He looked to be in his forties though he had a sharp pair of eyes.

Ichigo's eyes narrowed at the man. He could sense…something. It was faint though Ichigo knew that with his monumentally gigantic power it was tough to sense anyone not on par with him. Perhaps it was nothing.

During Ichigo's stay here he sensed a multitude of energies throughout the city. They were different from Hollows of Shinigami. And speaking of which, Ichigo hadn't seen a single hollow or Shinigami since his stay. Weren't they supposed to watch over the entire afterlife?

Ichigo hadn't seen anything which belonged to these signatures so he simply though it was his own energy screwing with him. Either that or there was something different than Bounts, Mod-Souls, Hollows, Quincies, Zanpakuto Spirits, Shinigami, or anything he had encountered beforehand.

Ichigo stopped the train of thought. Nothing had made itself apparent and Ichigo didn't feel like searching. While as arrogant sounding as it may seem, he was confident that nothing could sense him and anything that would target him would be no threat.

The man from earlier sat down a couple seats away from Ichigo and ordered a drink. Ichigo turned his head slightly to look at him, and Ichigo could have sworn the man was looking back out of the corner of his eye.

Ichigo quickly turned back to his drink before he downed the rest of it, the bitter taste of the ale not bothering him. That man was too sketchy and Ichigo had attracted too much attention for his liking, from the current person staring at him and the former which had entered a while ago.

Ichigo chuckled at that. It sounded very odd when you thought of it like that.

Ichigo fished a hand in his jacket pocket before he got out a few euros and put them on the counter to pay for his drink. Moments later he got up, stuffed both his hands in his pockets before he began to walk toward the exit of the establishment.

The orange-haired man walked past the man in the grey jacket only for said man to grab his right arm as he was passing him, the transgressing hand putting on a vice-like grip onto Ichigo's arm.

Ichigo's eyes widened in surprise from the action as well as the intensity of the grip. It was no Ulquiorra or Grimmjow but it surely was not human. Ichigo, therefore, was not fazed by the action and simply turned to the man with a scowl in place.

"You and I need to have a talk, kid," the man said to him in a gruff voice but it was the French language nonetheless. He then stood up to match Ichigo's height.

This action brought attention to the occupants of the bar; those only present being the group in the back and the bartended. The bartender, however, was watching disinterestedly, serving to only look at the two with a bored gaze.

The auburn-haired man in the back, however, smirked at the scene.

Ichigo brought up a hand and grabbed Donahseek's offending hand, putting it in a grip on his own. His golden eyes shined behind his sunglasses. The fallen angel could feel the bones in his hand pop from the strain. "I don't know who you are, _pops,_ but I suggest you let me go before things get _really_ ugly," Ichigo responded in French himself, a growl escaping his throat shortly afterward.

Such a beautiful language had never sounded so hate-filled before.

The man let go of Ichigo's arm before he turned him around and grabbed the hem of Ichigo's shirt and pulled him close to his face. "I don't think you know who you're messing with, _child,_ so come with me or face the consequences," Donahseek responded with a glare as he looked back at the kid.

Ichigo bristled as he was about to raise a hand to this fucker before he heard several distinct clicking sounds as well as a sound of boots walking towards him. Ichigo looked over to his right to see the auburn-haired man walking towards him with a smirk in place and hands in his pockets.

"Oh, come now, _monsieur (mister),_ can't we be peaceful here? It's my copains (friends) day off. They would _hate,_ to have to work today, but if you keep harassing the young homme (man) here, things may have to get a little… _messy,"_ the man spoke in a thick French accent as he rose a cigarette to his mouth and lit it with a light from his right hand.

The soft classical music that was playing throughout the bar stopped suddenly as it became deafeningly quiet.

Ichigo looked to the man and then looked behind him to the couple dozen men to see each and every one of them had some sort of sidearm point in his direction, though from what he gathered, their guns were pointed at the man in grey.

Donahseek's eyes narrowed at the man before him. He had long since gathered that these men were mercenaries of some kind however he did not expect them to get involved. He figured the bartender would, but not the other patrons.

He scanned the men in the back and while firearms would normally be particularly easy to dodge, the amount would be difficult to maneuver around. Plus, he doubted Azazel-sama would want him to massacre this many people just for information.

Ever since this boy in front of him had entered the city of France, the God-scale sensors in the Fallen Angel base in the Palace of Versailles just outside Paris had been going crazy. They had almost geared up for war before Azazel had tasked Donahseek to find the source first. It had taken them a while to pinpoint the exact location, but eventually they found it to be this orange-haired man. Donahseek and his little troupe had observed him along with the help of the local monsters in Paris such as rouge vampires and werewolves, but they had seen him do nothing out of the ordinary except go to bars and look at the attractions.

Donahseek had come to the conclusion that he was possibly a sacred gear or Longinus user who had tapped into the energy of his sacred gear but had no idea how to use it.

But what sacred gear he had? Donahseek had no clue.

Donahseek scanned the men, once, twice, three times before he slowly let go of Ichigo's shirt and let the orange-haired straighten out his shirt.

"Good, good, and don't worry monsieur, I'll pay for your tab," the man said with a grin as he made a shooing motion to Donahseek.

The man in grey scowled at the men before he stuffed his hands in his pockets and made his way to the door without another word.

During the engagement, Ichigo's wide eyes never ceased. Had these humans scared something off that wasn't human? Either they were ballsy or incredibly stupid.

Ichigo looked at the drinking and cheering men as they put away their guns and began to sing songs once again like nothing ever happened. It was like this was simply business to them, nothing more nothing less.

Ichigo looked at the auburn-haired man and nodded to him before he turned on heel and began to walk towards the door only for the former man to pull on the back of his jacket. "C'mon, little homme, let's have a drink together, yeah? It'll be on me. I want to know why he was so interested in you and why you were drinking alone when someone your age should be finding a girl or hanging out with friends," he said with a friendly grin while Ichigo turned around.

"Ah, I'm alright. I appreciate what you and your friends did but I really should be going," Ichigo said with slight hesitation.

The man grinned further as he put his arm around Ichigo's shoulders and walked him to the table where the women and other men were sitting. "Come now, I _insist,"_ he said as he took a drag from his cigarette.

Ichigo simply sighed as the soft classical music started up again.

Eventually the two of them got over to the other men sitting in various booths and Ichigo and the other man sat in the largest one with a dozen men and almost a dozen women. It was line with brass-colored studs and red leather. It was wooden and various foods were scattered around the table as well as drinks. Ichigo could see a few pistols as well. He then looked at the women and saw they were laughing with the rest of the men. Ichigo presumed they were used to this type of thing.

Then again, this area was close to the red-light district of Paris so it was slightly understandable. And the women looked gorgeous in Ichigo's opinion, some of them looking Italian, white, and a few were dark-skinned. They were just as diverse as the men that had arrived in the bar were. Perhaps they were friends or maybe even prostitutes?

If they were whores, they were definitely not cheap, Ichigo assumed.

Man he sounded like an asshole right then.

Ichigo and the man sat at the end of the booth with Ichigo sitting on the farthest seat to the left, the one closest to exiting the booth while the other man sat more inward, next to a beautiful Italian woman who had a nice figure in a green dress that showed cleavage and ended at just below mid-thigh.

Moments later the bartender brought him another drink and Ichigo accepted it with a nod while the middle-age bartender simply nodded and returned to behind the bar.

Ichigo sat awkwardly while the man next to him chatted with his friends. Minutes passed before he looked at the quiet, pale-skinned man next to him. He took a drag from a cigar that was laying in an ashtray and a sip from his glass before he spoke. The table's eyes were on the hooded man and their boss.

"You know, when a man is sitting in a bar alone, he's either looking for a woman, a criminal trying to sort things out, or he's wallowing in his own self-pity," he paused as Ichigo looked down at the last part, "Or it could be none of them and I'm just a dumbass," he finished while the whole tabled erupted in a fit of laughs and giggles from the men and women respectively.

Ichigo chuckled dryly while Pip extended a free hand to him. "Pip Bernadotte **(!)** , at your service," he said smoothly as the rest of the table began to talk amongst themselves.

Ichigo raised his hand and shook Pip's. "Ichigo Kurosaki," he said to the man of which visible eye widened slightly.

"Couldn't tell you were Japanese with the whole drug dealer outfit, Homme. Mind if you take the hood and glasses off? Unless you're trying to hide the fact that you've got pale skin, orange hair, or some serious ink on your neck, that is. But c'mon, homme, there's something a little screwy with all of us here," Pip said with a small smile as he gestured to his eye patch or some scars on other members of his group. He even pointed to very few members that had prosthetic limbs.

Ichigo scowled slightly as he was reminded with his appearance. Moments later he shook his head. "Ah, I'm fine, Pip," he said as politely as he could while Pip simply snorted as he put down his hat in front of him and leapt over Ichigo to the floor in front of the booth in a surprising show of agility. He coughed, gaining the member's attention.

"Yo, copains, little Ichigo here doesn't want us to see what's under his hood and glasses! Let's give the little homme a little encouragement, yeah?" he said while each of the mercs cheered and raised their glasses towards Ichigo and began to cheer as well as the present women.

Ichigo could hear a multitude of accents coming from the mercenaries and his eyes widened at Pip being able to easily gain their attention. He must've been their boss.

"Poussoir!" they called out and Ichigo sweat-dropped as they called him a 'pusher' or someone who peddles drugs. He guessed he really did look like a drug dealer…

Moments later a loud sigh could be heard from Ichigo as he reached up to his hood and pulled it down to reveal his orange hair that went down to his neck and would have covered his right eye if the glasses weren't there. They also noticed the thick black lines ending just below his jaw and some mercenaries thought the tribal tattoos were impressive looking.

The crowd cheered while the Italian looking woman with long, wavy black hair and green eyes that was originally next to Pip smirked and put her right arm on the table to look at him. Her lipstick-colored green lips were positively enticing.

"Lunettes!" the group called out next while Ichigo noticed the woman next to him simply smirked for a bit longer.

Ichigo gulped as they began to cheer for him to pull off his glasses. Ichigo sighed once more. If he couldn't do this now in front of strangers that probably wouldn't be in his life more than tonight, then he could definitely not do this in front of someone who would give him a job.

In a slow motion he grabbed his sunglasses and took them off before the entire crowd fell silent and the woman next to him gaped at the color of his eyes. Ichigo looked at them all and sighed at their looks. He was going to put his sunglasses back on before they erupted into cheers once more at the action and the woman next to him squealed.

"Oh dio mio, gold and orange are my favorite colors!" she said as she scooted next to him and put a delicate finger on his chin before she inspected his eyes, seeing if they were natural and not fake. Ichigo blushed faintly at the contact. Moments later she squealed in delight once more. "They're real!" she said as she scooted closer to Ichigo, the crowd cheering once more as they returned to their drinks and former conversations.

Ichigo blushed at the woman next to him as she put a hand on his chest and rubbed it a little with a single finger. Ichigo blushed harder as she trailed it around.

Meanwhile Pip laughed as he simply stepped on the table before falling into the seat that the Italian woman had vacated. "See, homme? We've all got our kinks. The Wild Geese here is my own little band of misfits. You might be colored a little oddly, but you're not the oddest I've seen!" he said as he took a long drag from his cigar.

Ichigo simply chuckled at the man while the woman continued to invade his space, even going so far as to put his arm around her shoulders himself. Ichigo was dumbstruck; he had no idea what to do in that moment.

Pip simply chuckled at the two. "Take it easy on the little homme, Adrianna, he seems to not know how to handle a woman," Pip said while Ichigo simply blushed harder as Adrianna ran finger along his lower jaw.

"Oh, come now, Pip," she said in French though it had an Italian accent, "he might be inexperienced but he is no _little_ man," she said with a sensual purr as she rubbed Ichigo's muscular chest.

Pip simply laughed. "Be careful, Ichigo, she's not been like this for as long as I've known her," he told the youth with mirth in his voice while Ichigo simply nodded dumbly, his blush still in place.

A few minutes passed and a few idle moments of almost one-sided flirting on Adrianna's part, Pip turned his gaze to Ichigo once more. "So, Ichigo, I gotta ask…whatcha doing in here by your lonesome?" the man asked while Ichigo slowly tore his stare from the ceiling so that he wouldn't have to look at the seductress that was Adrianna. "You really aren't a criminal or drug dealer, right? I mean, homme, we all got our pasts but you're a little young, yeah?" he asked with a slight sweatdrop.

Ichigo sighed as his blush slowly receded while Adrianna let up on her embrace of him to look at him better. The rest of the table hadn't noticed the three conversing and continued with their conversations.

"I just got a lot on my mind, Pip, drinking helps ease the burden, helps me think," Ichigo told him while Pip laughed lightly moments later while Ichigo scowled slightly at the laugh.

Adrianna looked at Ichigo sadly as she rubbed his chest. Pip spoke moments later.

"That's what my alcoholic grandfather used to say…he's dead now of course."

"Cirrhosis?" Ichigo guessed with a raised brow though he didn't like being compared to alcoholic. He wasn't an alcoholic…was he?

Pip laughed once more. "No, a bullet to the head by another Mercenary group," he said while Ichigo sweatdropped. "I gotta say, I've had my nights where I just want to drink to forget, Ichigo, but that ain't always the answer. Now don't get me wrong, I love my brandy and scotch, but I'm guessing you've been drinking for a little while now. That ain't cool, homme. But I'm not gonna tell you how to live your life of course. But trust me, thinking on stuff with a clear mind is the best way to resolve issues," Pip said while Ichigo looked at him wide-eyed. The man had given him much to think about.

A couple hours passed as Ichigo became more acquainted with the group, all of them becoming drunker by the hour. He had learned that they were an international mercenary group and Pip was the leader. Ichigo learned a few of the other's name and found that the group as a whole was very accepting of his appearance and for that he was thankful. He had also learned that they were leaving tomorrow as they had been in Paris for a week now and were leaving on a job for security detail.

The group had exited the bar, most of them with stumbles in their step and began to make their way to Pip's hotel along with his group. It wasn't far from the bar just as Ichigo's wasn't though his was in the opposite direction.

The couple dozen men and women entered the lobby and Ichigo's semi-drunk eyes widened at the extravagancy of it. Pip simply said he knew the owner and got a discount for the bulk amount of rooms.

Ichigo supported himself and Adrianna as they made their way to the elevator along with Pip who had himself a blonde beauty with a curvaceous figure who was nibbling on his neck much like Adrianna was doing to a heavily blushing Ichigo.

The elevator door closed while Pip simply cupped the blonde woman's behind and began to furiously make out with her causing her moan. Ichigo simply gaped himself and turned away only for Adrianna to grin a sultry grin and cup his cheeks making his eyes widen. Ichigo soon felt his mouth invaded by the woman's tongue. Ichigo clumsily reciprocated and closed his eyes, ignoring the taste and smell of alcohol on her breath as well as his own.

Goddamnit, what was he supposed to do? Twirl his tongue around hers and bite her lip or something?

Ichigo slowly began to encircle his arms around Adrianna and circled his tongue around hers making her moan and pull on his shirt. She was about to disengage the kiss before he nibbled on her lower lip making her eyes widen and moan once more.

He opened his eyes to see her with a positively needy look on her face before he looked over to a smirking Pip while his 'date' was nibbling on his neck again.

Ichigo smiled sheepishly while the elevator door opened. Ichigo stepped out, supporting Adrianna while Pip did the same to his date.

Ichigo followed Pip for a bit, admiring the gold-colored hallways with red carpet. This was the fanciest hotel he had ever been in. The one he was staying in was only fine, nothing special, simply something that suited his needs.

A few moments later Ichigo followed Pip to a large door before the auburn-haired man pointed to the room parallel to his. " _That's_ Adrianna's room, homme," he said as Ichigo looked to see Adrianna fiddling with her small purse to look for her room key.

Ichigo nodded as Pip opened his door so that his 'date' could enter. She entered the simply extravagant room and Ichigo could see her begin to take off her dress causing him to blush however Pip closed the door shortly after with a smirk directed towards the pale man. Adrianna had opened the door and had begun to do the same though Pip reached behind Ichigo and closed the door until it was barely open so that Ichigo could enter.

"So, homme," Pip said making Ichigo snap his gaze from the undressing Adrianna as Pip almost closed the door. "This your first time?" he asked Ichigo of while only blushed.

"Ah," he paused as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, it is," he said finally while Pip simply chuckled.

"Don't worry, I had such a stick up my ass until I was your age I didn't even notice women. Been a man-whore ever since," Pip said with a smirk as he reached in his pocket to reveal a couple condoms. "I'm guessing you don't want kids, so here you go, Homme," he said while Ichigo simply blushed, the slightly drunk gears in his head turning as he grabbed the condoms from Pip.

"I expect to see her looking brighter tomorrow, homme, so don't disappoint, yeah?" Pip said as he unlocked his hotel door behind him and began to enter. Ichigo simply stood in the hallway and looked at the piece of rubber and plastic in his hand and blushed as his mind ran through what was about to happen.

Just as Pip was about to enter the room he paused and turned back to Ichigo with a serious expression, though it was failing slightly from Pip's drunkenness. "Don't pull a one night stand, Ichigo. Adrianna won't like that and I got something to ask you in the morning when you aren't partially drunk, so stick around. I'll be up before noon," he said with a smirk as his date practically pulled him in the door. Pip managed to get out a 'good luck!' before all Ichigo could he was furniture being shoved out of the way as he presumed they made their way to the bedroom.

Ichigo stood there for a moment later before he turned around to see Adrianna clad in a pair of black lace panties with her bare breasts being presented standing in the doorway making his eyes go wide and for a blush to envelope his entire face. She licked her lips as she pulled him inside and closed the door.

Minutes later a 'Do Not Disturb' sign went on the door.

With eyes closed, Ichigo pressed Adrianna to the back of the door, her back touching the cool wooden frame as Ichigo invaded her mouth with his tongue as she did the same. With a slight jump, the woman put her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck.

She moaned as he grinded into her, pressing his weight into her. He grunted as they shared a passionate, drunken lip lock. Moments later the two separated with a small string of saliva connecting them. Adrianna, a full blush in place smiled sensually while Ichigo smirked back at her before smashing his lips to hers.

The room they were in was extraordinary with a large bed off to the side of the room, a few feet away from the windows that overlooked the ever bustling city of Paris. The Eifel Tower could be scene in the distance along with Notre Dame and the lights that illuminated the city were as numerous as the stars in the sky. If one were to look, they could see people walking the dark streets of Paris below as well as numerous amounts of vehicles.

The room had pane glass windows on the far end of it instead of a wall. The bed a near the windows with tow nightstands on either side of it. It was a king-sized bed with red sheets and four white pillows. It had a small kitchen in another room adjacent to it and a bathroom parallel to the kitchen. Overall, it was lavish.

Ichigo pulled the woman from the wall and maneuvered his way to the bed with a few moans escaping Adrianna's lips as he moved. Their lips never left one another's company as they moved. Moments later, she was lightly thrown onto the soft bed with a squeal and giggle which made Ichigo smirk as his golden eyes enveloped her figure.

Adrianna was beautiful and looked to be in her early twenties if he guessed. She laid on the bed, her tanned skin shone in the moonlight from outside. Her hands lay just above her breasts, resting on her chest with her elbows lying on the bed. Her chest heaved back and forth while she sported a sensual, seductive smirk on her green-colored lips. She had a healthy figure and no ribs shown on her abdomen which led down to wide hips and then down to her long, enticing legs as her right knee laid on her left and then down to her bare feet, which had gold polish on as well as her fingernails.

There was no turning back at this point. Ichigo wanted her as much as she wanted him.

Ichigo continued to smirk at her as he slid off his jacket and reached to the hem of his shirt before he lifted upward, pausing only briefly as he revealed the tattoos that reached over his collar bones and across his chest. Adrianna's eyes widened in surprise before they filled with a new lust, eyeing his delicious figure. He was chiseled if his _eight_ pack of abdominal muscles had anything to say about it along with the 'v' he sported at his him and finely shaped pectorals. His deltoid as well as his biceps and triceps were muscled as well as the triceps had a healthy 'u' shape and his biceps were quite large. He was not overly muscular, though he looked as though he took care of himself and went to the gym often.

Adrianna mewled and let loose a few words in Italian as she eyed his figure. Ichigo simply smiled as he knelt down on the bed before he kissed her, her arms wrapping around his back as he put his weight on her.

Ichigo let his hands roam around on her body as she let her delicate fingers undo his belt. She disengaged the kiss as she looked down making him look down as well as she began to fish the garments off of him only for Ichigo to turn his eyes and smirk at her again before he raised up, kicked his shoes off before pulling his pants down to see black boxers with a large, noticeable tent which made her smirk and push herself up before she laid down on her stomach.

Ichigo grew wide eyes as the woman got on her stomach while still lying on the bed before she grabbed the hem of the boxers and began to pull down, releasing his 9 inch circumcised member from its confines.

Adrianna grinned a sultry grin as she made eye contact with the orange-haired man of which had wide eyes as he simply stood there, motionless. Moments later she let a tentative lick escape her mouth as she ran it along the length of his member.

Ichigo groaned lowly as he simply stared at her as she licked at his manhood as if were a piece of candy.

Adrianna made eye contact with him again as she stopped licking before she put tip of his member in her mouth making him unconsciously moan and buck at the feeling, his pelvis convulsing lightly as she bobbed her head on his member.

The woman continued to make eye contact with Ichigo as she continued her menstruations making him put a single hand on the back of her head. Seconds later she let him control the pace as she bobbed on his member, only going halfway down before she had to go back up.

She continued this, pausing a few times to lick along his length making him groan at this before she raised her other hand and fondled his testicles making him let loose a throaty breath at her soft hands.

Seconds passed as she licked at him before she engulfed the member again and bobbed at a faster pace making his eyes go wide before they closed, caught up in the pleasure.

Of course Ichigo had fantasized about being with a woman before but he had no idea that his first time would involve meeting someone in a country he never even thought that he was going to go to. Or that he would be drunk while doing so. However it looked like she knew what she was doing and he was prepared to claim her tonight just as she would claim him.

Ichigo felt the familiar sensation of the beginning of the end before pulled on the back of Adrianna's hair, a little roughly making her stop and look back up at him and moan as he pulled on the back of her head.

Ichigo smirked. She was one of those who liked hair pulling, huh?

Seconds later he was upon her, her back on the bed while he kissed her roughly while she returned it, pulling on his hair as he pulled on hers making her eyes go wide. Moments passed before he disengaged the kiss and began to kiss his way down her chest, pulling on the right, caramel nipple while licking on the left making her moan at the action.

She ran her left hand through her own hair, moaning a couple throaty moans while putting her right hand through her lover's hair as he expertly fondled her breasts.

Moments later he moved down her abdomen, his strong hands running down her sides which made her shudder as he became eye level with her panties. He looked up at her and smiled which made her go wild with anticipation as he pulled down her legs kissing the top of her thigh, then her smooth calve, and then the top of her foot before he removed the offending garment completely and tossing it away. He then kissed the bottom of her foot before making his way back up the other leg as she mewled in pleasure at the feather-like kisses.

Ichigo opened his eyes as she spread her legs to see her shaven womanhood which made him breath in deeply, intoxicated by her. Ichigo smirked as he kissed the inside of her thighs before he kissed the top of her snatch.

She moaned a cute, soft moan as he kissed the top of her clit before he let loose a longer one as he licked along the length of her lower lips.

Adrianna mewled as he played with her lower regions, kissing them, biting them softly, or simply letting his tongue explore her. She smiled. It had been more than a couple years since she had taken a lover, her ex-boyfriend and first love, and she had not expected to take a chance with a slightly younger man such as this one, be it drunk or not.

It was true, orange and gold were her favorite colors. She had a few orange dresses and gold dresses, though this night she had gone with green instead. The two colors did not go together but Ichigo had made them work. Pip had said it himself, Ichigo was oddly colored, but she paid it no mind.

She and Pip had been friends since she was a young girl and him a mid-teen. He was her first crush but she grew out of that, the two opting for a friendlier or familial feel and they technically were cousins by marriage on his uncle's side. She had grown up in Italy but took more than a dozen trips to France to visit him at his grandfather's estate. She knew of his line of work and while she didn't approve, she would let him do as he pleased. He was a grown man after all.

Adrianna looked down to her drunken lover as he looked up at him much like she had done to him. She smiled as he nibbled on her clit, sending small shivers up her spine as a small whimper left her lips. Moments later she grabbed his hair, pushing his deeper into her, only for eyes to go wide as he let his tongue invade her.

The Italian woman moaned as his hands cupped her plump cheeks as her moved his tongue around clumsily inside her. He was inexperienced it seemed. While she was only slightly more experienced than he was, she thought it was cute.

The woman looked at him with lust filled eyes as he smile grew into a sultry visage as she bit her lip in pleasure, letting her hands play with his somewhat long hair, rubbing her digits through it as he played with her.

Ichigo enjoyed the sensations as she played with his hair as well as the sounds she made when she moaned. He wanted to hear more of it; he wanted her to say his name over and over again as she writhed in pleasure.

Ichigo reached a hand around and let his index finger lay on her clit as his tongue continued his ministrations inside her. He began to apply pressure to it and rub it around softly making her moan again and again, louder as he did this. Ichigo could feel her fingers start to dig slightly into his scalp as he continued.

Adrianna's back arched as he did this as he mouth made an 'O' shape. "O-Oh Ichigo!" she moaned as he smirked in success. Ichigo continued this for the next few moments, allowing his tongue to ravish her while his digit played with her.

"Oh fuck, Ichigo! Keep going!" she moaned as she began to let loose a few strings of swear words in Italian that Ichigo didn't know. Her toes curled and her left hand grasped onto the bed harshly.

Though as he was told, Ichigo kept up with his menstruations, actually going faster as she moaned even louder.

"Ichigo, Ichigo, Ichi-ah-go!" she moaned faster and faster before she seized up and let loose a long throaty moan filled with pleasure and ecstasy before she bucked into Ichigo's tongue.

Ichigo kept licking on her as she collapsed back onto the bed, panting, lapping up the juices she let loose before he flet a pull on his hair, causing him to look up at her. She pulled him towards her and he followed, his eyes partially closed, the hazy gloss of lust filling them. She licked her lips.

 _He is absolutely sexy,_ she thought as she pulled him into a kiss, his abdomen and chest rubbing against her own making her groan again as she came down from her orgasmic high.

Ichigo kissed her back, wrapping his arms around her as she turned them around so that she was on top and his back was on the bed.

She disengaged the kiss as she then straddled him, her hair spilling down her face and breasts making Ichigo's blush intensify as he looked at her in all her beauty, her soft yet sensual smile enticing him even more. He then looked down to see her grinding her womanhood on his manhood. Ichigo groaned as he reached down to his pants to pull a single piece of rubber out of his pocket which made Adrianna narrow her eyes slightly and grin down at him as she rocked her hips.

"Preparing for this, hmm, Ichigo? Planning to seduce little ol' me from the start?" Adrianna asked him playfully while he sputtered slightly before he smirked at her, bucking his hips slightly making her eyes widen and moan.

"Pip gave this to me, I had no plans on doing this tonight," he told her making her look at him and chuckle.

Ichigo fumbled with the package slightly before he opened it and put the condom on, the thin latex item fitting snugly on his appendage.

Adrianna looked him lustfully as he aimed it at her lower lips before she lowered herself on it slowly, taking it in inch by inch before Ichigo was seven inches in her.

The orange-haired man groaned as his hips bucked into her subconsciously. He felt like he could melt right there if he didn't control himself. So this was what the pleasures of the flesh could offer, hmm? Ichigo felt like he could become addicted to this feeling. It was a lot better than drinking.

Adrianna had never felt so full before. He previous lover had fit in her fully but Ichigo stretched her to her limits and had more to offer. The way he hit her cervix was amazing as well.

Both lovers simply lay there, acclimating to each other before Ichigo felt like he could move. Experimentally he began to rock his hips back and forth causing both of them to groan. Adrianna looked at him with a lustful smile as she began to rock her hips as well, falling into a back and forth motion with his member still fit firmly inside of her.

Ichigo groaned again as he put both of his hands on her buttocks, firmly grasping both of them as he spread them apart and began to knead them back and forth making Adrianna mewl once more at the feeling.

The woman decided it would be good to begin in full and slowly began to pull his member out of her before she pushed herself back down making both of them moan over and over again as she took charge of the pace.

Ichigo felt great. She knew how to move her hips and he got to feel her up as much as he pleased. Sex was _fantastic,_ he decided. However she was going too slowly for his tastes. He wanted _more._

Adrianna was in the same boat, the more and more she moved her hips, the more she loved the feeling of his member hitting the entrance to her womb. While he wasn't doing much his girth and size made up for it. However he didn't lay there for long as she looked down to him to see him smirk.

Moments later she found herself in missionary position with him smirking down at her, his golden eyes boring into hers and he sheathed himself in her once more making her gasp at being filled and he then began to rock himself into her making her eyes widen and for a series of moans to escape her lips while grunts escaped him.

Her eyes were wide as she fiercely took him into a heated, sloppy kiss, trading their tongues back and forth as he pistoned himself in and out of her.

Adrianna reached her hand up to his hand and ran in through his locks roughly, pulling on them as he rocked his hips back and forth.

"Oh, Ichigo!" she moaned into his ear as he lowered his head down beside her to where her mouth was right next to her ear. "Fuck, baby, you're so big!" she moaned. "I'm gonna cum, soon! Keep doing what you're doing!" she mewled as he legs circled themselves around him, her toes curling from the please.

Ichigo could feel himself getting close too. He was moving his hips back and forth sporadically and he was sure he could do better than this if he were sober but right now he simply wanted this woman in her entirety in front of him.

Ichigo grunted as he turned his head to suckle on her neck making her moan and run her fingernails on his back, leaving a fierce red marks both on her neck and his pale skin before Ichigo wrapped his arms around her before he picked her up causing the woman to squeal and moan a long sensual moan as he was pushed deeper inside of her.

Ichigo barely felt the woman dig into his skin with her nails, the haze of sex clouding his mind.

She took his lips in another sloppy kiss before he started on the point of no return, bucking his hips back and forth into her, the two lovers moaning in unison before Adrianna seized up, moaning into Ichigo's lips while putting her arms around his neck, pulling him deeper into her embrace while Ichigo stopped as he felt his balls clench and he unloaded himself into her.

A few moments passed, the two lovers simply engorging themselves in their own highs before Ichigo turned around with his knees and slowly put Adrianna down onto the bed, disengaging the kiss in process. Both adults let gasps escape their lips while Ichigo let himself unfurl himself from Adrianna's grasp and rise up onto his knees which were still spread onto either side of him.

Ichigo let himself run his eyes over her, drinking in the clear sheen of swear on her form and heaving chest. He then looked up to her and locked eyes before he smirked at her before he groaned and unsheathed himself from her, the woman moaning as well at the loss of the appendage.

Ichigo peeled off the condom before he got up and put it in a nearby trashcan, Adrianna's eyes following him with a pleased smile on her face.

Moments later he rejoined her in bed as she lifted up the covers, making space for him in which he obliged whole-heartedly.

She cuddled with him, putting her arms to her chest while he put his around her, pulling her close, the two enjoying the afterglow of their joining.

"I think you broke me, Ichigo," she finally spoke which made Ichigo chuckle slightly.

"Sorry?" he told her while she simply giggled before she raised herself up to suck on his earlobe making him groan lowly.

"If you break me like that more often then you won't have to be sorry," she told him with a sultry voice which made his eyes widen before he smirked and raised his left hand slightly before he spanked her left cheek with a little force making her eyes widen and moan as he began to play with her cheeks.

"Maybe," Ichigo told her with a smile as he stopped moments later, resuming his hold on her.

"Goodnight, oro (goldie)," she said with a smirk as she closed her eyes while he did as well, the weight of the previous activity and drinking finally hitting them.

Ichigo smiled at her. "Goodnight, Adri."

….

Ichigo sat in a coffee shop not far from the hotel with Pip sitting across from him, the latter with a smirk on his face while Ichigo had his clothes from last night on just as pip did though one thing he did lack was the hood on his head and his sunglasses were sitting on the neckline on his shirt.

It was currently eleven in the morning and the day was currently dreary and slightly rainy. Pip had entered Adrianna's room an hour earlier to take Ichigo out. Though he did interrupt their fun in the shower, Pip had let them finish before he requested Ichigo to come.

Ichigo had arrived with them both on but with some pushing from Pip, he had taken them off and while he did receive odd looks every now and again, it was fine. At least he didn't get accused on being a drug dealer.

Adrianna was leaving for Italy that day as well to go back home and this had saddened Ichigo but after an address and a phone number telling him to show up whenever, he had perked up after that.

Pip's men were off in a nearby airport loading supplies, getting ready to set out for South America as they had been requested there and Pip was leaving soon as well.

"So," Pip said as he popped two painkillers before chasing it with coffee to help with his hangover, "how was last night?" he paused, "and this morning?" he asked with raised eyebrows and a smirk on his face.

Ichigo chuckled with a faint blush on his face. "Great," he answered shortly. "Didn't know sex was that great," he continued while Pip laughed lightly.

"Yes, yes it is, homme," he responded with mirth in his voice.

The two chatted idly, Pip asking more about Ichigo though the latter of the two could tell from the questions that this sounded more like a job interview than an actual conversation.

"Ichigo, I gotta ask ya something," he paused while Ichigo looked at him intently, "would you care to join me and my men in our little business venture?" he ask while Ichigo's golden eyes widened. "I know it's not every man's first choice but you seem like the type of guy that I would trust to watch my back. You get to travel, get a cut of every pay we get and so on," he paused, "and it'll get whatever's on your mind off of it," Pip finished while Ichigo pursed his lips.

"I only got four requirements," Pip said while he raised four fingers making Ichigo look at the hand, "Don't be too selfish, don't be too stupid, don't stab me in the back, and be a team player," he explained while Ichigo listened to him intently.

Ichigo looked down after that and sighed lightly. What should he do? He knew he was smart enough to go to college (whenever he got off his ass that is), but right now, all he seemed good at was fighting.

The wars he had fought in, the tenacity he had shown, the powers he held, all he could do was _fight_ and protect those close to him. He could only do one of those and right now, he assumed he had too much young blood in him to settle down and go to college, get a life.

Pip looked at the man in thought and hoped he took his offer. Drinking all the time was no good for him and he could see the potential Ichigo had. Whether it be school wise or being part of his troupe. Ichigo had a drive in him and Pip knew he was wasting it in this city, mulling over whatever plagued him.

Moments later, Pip's eyes narrowed at Ichigo of whom had a small red dot on his forehead.

Ichigo looked at Pip with determination in his eyes, his mind made up. "Pip, I accept-!"

"Ichigo, get down!"

Seconds later, Ichigo found himself on the ground, Pip over him. Everything slowed as he looked back the spot he was previously sitting to see the ground behind it with a large hole in it. People around him were screaming and frantically exiting the store and flooding the square, trying to get out of harm's way.

"Ichigo, Ichigo!"

Ichigo slowly looked back at Pip to see the man pulling him up and shaking him.

"Run! We have to run!" he told the youth who blinked before he nodded, getting up with Pip before they exited the store as well, pushing past others as cracks of gunfire sounded around them, kicking up the concrete below them as they ran away.

As asshole-ish as it was, Pip used civilians for cover as he and his self-appointed charge ran to a nearby alley, trying to escape the sniper that was set up.

The architecture of this area of the city was very old-fashioned and Victorian. There were numerous high-rises and setup points for snipers or anyone to make an offensive or defensive position. It would difficult to tell where someone was with the numerous amounts of vantage points.

Everything was moving so fast for Ichigo. Of course he had been in fights before, numerous amounts of engagements, but he had never been in a defenseless situation before, especially one where an actual sniper was trying to kill him.

Ichigo shook his head as he and Pip ran into a nearby alley before they put their backs to the wall, their chest heaving, trying to catch their breath.

"Pip," Ichigo said with a heave as he put his hands on his knees, "what the Hell is going on?!" he yelled.

Pip, however was much more composed than his charge at this point. "We're being hunted," Pip said simply while he poked his head out from the alley, trying to look for the sniper only put duck his head back in quickly. The square was clear now so it would be much easier to pinpoint his and Ichigo's location.

Ichigo sighed as he caught his breath and put his back to the dank walls of the alley which was littered with trashcans, discarded newspapers among other various pieces of trash. He never liked being the hunted. Reminded him too much of his first incursion to the Soul Society.

"Ichigo, take this," Pip said making Ichigo look down to see large revolver being handed to him making his eyes widen. "You said you accept, so here's you first job," Pip said seriously as he fished his hand into one of his many pockets, giving Ichigo a handful of hollow-point, 44-magnum rounds to fit into the raging-bull revolver.

"Me and you are going to go back to the hotel we were at, and set up a defensive position there," Pip said as he peered back out into the square to see a dozen heavily armed, black-wearing men exiting a building across the way, parallel to the coffee shop they were at. The sniper must've been at the top, Pip assumed.

Ichigo was still looking at the silver revolver that was almost as long as his forearm with its black handle and 'Raging Bull' print on the side of the barrel. Pip grabbed Ichigo's shirt making the younger man look at him.

"That thing is not a toy, point, shoot, compensate for distance if you need to. There's six rounds in it and reload when you're empty, safety's right there," Pip said as he pointed to small piece just above the handle making Ichigo nod.

"Alright, all ya gotta do is follow me. I'll radio my men and tell them to get ready," Pip said as he pulled out a small radio. "Ready?" he said to Ichigo on which nodded. Pip smirked. "Let's go!"

The two men darted from the alley and onto the street adjacent to them, a hail of bullets impacting their previous position.

Ichigo ran with a frantic step as he heard Pip yell into his radio all the while running as well. "This is Figurehead! Multiple hostiles in pursuit and we are making our way to Camelot! Rookie is with me, I repeat, Rookie is with me! ETA three minutes! Line up, Geese!" he yelled, using code so that anyone listening would have some difficulty figuring out where they were going.

Ichigo was entirely out of his element here as the weight of the gun in his right hand felt heavier and heavier as he and Pip ran along the streets of Paris, pushing multiple civilians out of the way while the men following behind them ran towards them about thirty yards behind.

"Ichigo!" Pip called out making Ichigo snap his attention to them as they sprinted to towards the hotel. "Duck and dodge into the next alley and we'll return fire!" he said while Ichigo shouted back in acceptance.

Moments later the two of them dived into the next alley while Pip immediately ducked against the wall, pulling out an automatic handgun before he began to return fire making Ichigo cringe at the sound of the gun. Swords made no sound but guns were loud as all fuck.

Ichigo got against the wall moments later before Pip shoved him to the ground before he spoke. "stay like that and shoot!" he yelled while Ichigo could see the men that were following them duck into cover though he could see one on the ground, dead, he assumed. Civilians were scurrying away to try and get out of the crossfire though Ichigo could see a few laying dead in the street, courtesy of them men pursuing them. Ichigo scowled and nodded to Pip before he peeked out just after bullet's impacted the brick next to him.

Ichigo put the gun in an aiming position as more shells from Pip's handgun exited the chamber right beside him. Ichigo closed his right eye and breathed out before firing.

The kick of the gun pushed Ichigo back at least a foot and the young man could see something impact an awning above the men but it made them duck into cover once more nonetheless. Ichigo growled before he took aim once more and cocked back the hammer.

Pip smirked at the man below him as he continued to return fire.

Ichigo adjusted his wrist to a more firm angle before he aimed and pulled the trigger, scoring another man in the head as he peeked out of cover. Ichigo looked at the now dead man before he shook his head. He had killed before. This was nothing new.

Pip was slightly impressed. Ichigo's aim was exceptional after just two shots. He shook his head. That was neither here nor there. He would congratulate the youth later. For now, they had to move. "Alright, Ichigo! While they're pinned let's move!" he shouted while Ichigo nodded.

Moments later both he and Ichigo exited the alley before they both returned fire, covering their escape, Pip firing off three shots while Ichigo fired one. Neither of their shots hit anything but the purpose was to buy time to escape.

Adrenaline flooded Ichigo as he and Pip ran to the hotel. So this was Pip's life, huh?

It was fun but _damn_ was it dangerous.

He and Pip continued to sprint to 'Camelot' while their pursuers chased them down, having the aim of Stormtroopers as they tried to spray them with bullets. Civilians screamed and ran from them as they ran themselves. Cars in the street swerved as they tried to get away and some impacted light posts or other objects as bullets found their way into the windshields.

The hotel soon came into sight and Ichigo could see the familiar faces of some of the members of the Wild Geese come into view.

Ichigo and Pip made their way to cover behind the men on the stairs of the Hotel and fell to the ground with a huff, both of their guns raised to return fire once the pursing men came around the corner into sight.

Seconds later, ten men in black balaclavas, helmets and body armor along with assault rifles came around the way only for their eyes to widen as the Wild Geese opened fire, the sound of the multiple assault rifles ringing out into the city.

Ichigo's ears rung long after he registered more than half of the men pursing them were dead on the ground with bullet holes riddling them. The other three had escaped back around the corner and Pip had ordered them not to pursue.

Ichigo huffed as he rested against a pillar, the adrenaline in his system still pumping. Pip rested against the pillar as well. The Wild Geese congratulated Ichigo on holding up under the stressful situation as well as not dying and Ichigo simply chuckled and sweatdropped at that respectively.

Pip meanwhile was smiling as well. Ichigo would make a fine addition to the Wild Geese. The auburn-haired man then saw Ichigo raise the Raging Bull to Pip in an effort to return it. Pip simply shook his head as pulled out a cigarette and lit it.

"It's yours now. You're a decent enough shot with it, I suppose, homme," Pip chuckled as he stood up with a groan. Ichigo nodded at that and stuffed the revolver away in the back of his pants.

"We should probably get out of here before the cops show up," Pip said while Ichigo nodded as he finally registered the sirens off in the distance. Moments later a large truck meant for hauling infantry around pulled up and the Wild Geese began to file into it

"So, how was that, Ichigo?" Pip asked with a somewhat overly cheerful smile as he entered the truck with Ichigo

"Too many bullets, too much running but we're alive I guess," Ichigo said exasperatedly as Pip pulled him up with a chuckle.

"It gets better," Pip said making Ichigo raise a brow as he sat in a seat across from Pip.

"Really?" Ichigo asked.

"No, not really."

Ichigo sighed. What had he gotten himself into now?

…

 **REVIEW!**

 **Like I said, hot off the press.**

 **Thanks for the support, guys! Means a lot to me!**

 **Anyways, I won't be updating anything for a long while. Why?**

 **Because I'm going off to Marine Boot Camp this Monday! Woot!**

 **Now trust me, I'm still gonna be doing stories, don't worry about that, just wanted to give you guys a heads up.**

 **Anyways, REVIEW!**

 **PEACE!**


End file.
